Kimkim Trip Reviews

If I could give this trip more stars, I would. From the early stages of planning the trip month before into the days leading it, Agnes was great to work with and I was delighted to meet her the evening I arrived in person - what a nice surprise after months of talking virtually. She listened closely to what I wanted from the holiday and followed through with a trip plan carefully tailored to exactly what I wanted around Gorillas (habituation and trekking), Chimpanzee (habituation) and Golden Monkeys (trekking), with the addition of many wonderful experiences and game drives. All the lodges were carefully chosen together and I had a wonderful stay at each one. Particularly, I have dietary restrictions and she was very careful to let them know far in advance what I require successfully. I couldn't have asked for someone better to plan my trip! Agnes was a knowledgeable, efficient, friendly, attentive planner at all times.

When I arrived in Entebbe, I was greeted by Olive, a lovely addition to the Umoja team who was on hand throughout my trip if anything went wrong (it didn't, though!) and Khalif, my driver and guide in the first twelve days I was there.

Khalif was incredible as a guide and an amazing driver. His knowledge about all wildlife, culture, and all things his country added immeasurable value to my trip. He's also very easy to get along with as a person - great guy - and was able to stick handle any issues or concerns I had along our route with no difficulties. He called each place I was eating at (lodge or restaurant) to let them know about my dietary restrictions as well and helped me communicate where needed on them. Any group or person in his jeep will be lucky to have him as guide!

Shout out also to Bright, who drove me on the final two days of the trip to make sure I got to and from the airport - very knowledgeable and friendly as well - great job.

I would recommend Agnes and her team to anyone for a trip to East Africa! Thank you so much and hopefully I will see you on my next one!

Our visit to Norway was beyond our expectations. The original itinerary appeared to be amazing. However, due to Joseph’s special needs, changes were necessary. Thanks to Fenne, we had a wheelchair available at both hotels and needed to change hotels in Bergen. The Scandic Torget Bergen was in a perfect spot as the two bus tours started across the street. Both bus drivers were exceptional. The cider tour and fjord cruise to Flåm were highlights of our trip. We also enjoyed dinner at Engebret Cafe which was on the list of places to eat that you provided. We had no problem with all the tickets for the various events. We were also impressed how responsive team members were to our questions. Overall, we are very pleased. Thank you. Joseph & Patrick

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Here we had an accessibility room which did not offer adequate space for luggage — no dresser. Beds and chairs were comfortable. Shower did not have hand bars for safety, did not keep water in shower area and offered no face cloths. The temperature of the room was good. Here too the breakfasts were great! Enjoyed the fire pit in the lobby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendliness and helpfulness

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were cozy.

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

We had a deluxe room so it was roomy with windows on two sides. The most amazing feature though was the breakfast — so many choices! On the negative side, the shower had no hand bars for safety, did not limit water to shower area, and the shampoo pump was difficult. There are no hand towels and the bath towels barely wrap around one’s body. The air in the room was still and warm and barely improved with oscillating desk fan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It seemed to be in the middle of centre city — only blocks up from City Hall and piers and a stroll along Karl Johans gate.

Staff

Friendliness and helpfulness

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nærøyfjord Cruise, Flåm & Stegastein Day Trip

Bergen

Stunningly beautiful — blessed to have had good weather. Bus driver was outstanding.

Quality of Experience

Have to credit bus driver, not only his enthusiasm but above & beyond our expectations.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See comment above

Transport

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Beautiful!! Stunning!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cidery Tour To Balestrand By The Sognefjord

Bergen

Knowledgeable and rewarding — learned a lot about cider. Presentation was professional and cider sampling paired with good was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina put together a wonderful itinerary for our vacation in Spain. Here are the highlights:

We were met at the Barcelona airport by a friendly, courteous driver with an immaculate car! Smooth driving to our hotel!

Hotel Regina - great location for sightseeing. We were warmly welcomed. The room was a bit cramped, but very clean and well appointed.

Marcel (sp?) was an amazing guide for our tapas tour! He made sure that our diverse group of five couples was engaged and happy. He was very enthusiastic! We enjoyed the variety of tapas, beverages and eateries. Marcel shared tips for our stay, and made sure that we all had a safe route/plan to return to our hotels. ( Side note, it was a 30 minute walk from our hotel to the meeting site.)

Mari was an excellent guide! She introduced sites away from the typical tourist areas; and, helped us navigate the metro. Our visit to La Sagrada Familia was remarkable. Mari showed us the church from angles that made the church appear to be alive!

Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid was centrally located. The staff was professional and welcoming. We enjoyed the view of the square!

Segovia - excellent!

Hector was extremely knowledgeable! We need to return to Madrid to put his advice/suggestions to use!

H10 Corregidor Boutique Hotel was our favorite! The staff was warm and welcoming and offered plenty of suggestions for things to do until our room was ready (we arrived at 10am). The room was spacious, very clean and nicely decorated!

Flamingo was very interesting and very passionate!

Elena was WONDERFUL! She knew how to navigate the city to take advantage of the Corpis Christi procession! We loved visiting the Alcazar. Elena was so knowledgeable about the neighborhoods, museums and history, the tour flew by before we were ready to say goodbye. She is a gem!

Our driver to the airport was prompt, professional and friendly! His vehicle was immaculate!

Jackie & Richard

Our recent trip to Ireland, arranged by kimkim, was nothing short of extraordinary! From the moment we contacted kimkim, our agent Emily made the entire process seamless and enjoyable. Her expertise and dedication to crafting the perfect itinerary for us were evident in every detail of our trip.

The accommodations were superb, with highlights including the luxurious Aghadoe Heights Hotel and the charming Renvyle House Hotel. Each stay was characterized by exceptional comfort, stunning views, and outstanding hospitality.

The culinary experiences were equally impressive. We indulged in delicious local cuisine that truly highlighted the rich flavors of Ireland. Each meal was a delightful adventure in itself, further enhancing our travel experience.

The excursions planned by Emily were top-notch. Our visit to the Cliffs of Moher was breathtaking, with views that left us in awe. Exploring Killarney National Park allowed us to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of Ireland, and our tour of Kylemore Abbey was both enlightening and inspiring.

Throughout our journey, Emily's attention to detail and responsiveness made us feel well taken care of. Her recommendations and arrangements ensured that every aspect of our trip was perfect.

We highly recommend kimkim and especially Emily for anyone looking to explore Ireland or any other destination. Their commitment to providing exceptional service and creating memorable travel experiences is unparalleled. We can't wait to plan our next adventure with them!

Our group of six had an amazing 14 day trip to Portugal. Tiago facilitated every detail from our first correspondence about what we were looking for in a trip, all the way to our last moments in this beautiful country. We spent time in Porto, Lisbon, the Douro Valley, and the Algarve, with stops or day trips to Guimarães ,Coimbra, Tomar, Obidos, Cascias, and Sintra. Tiago gave us so much history, introduced us to new foods, and talked about Portuguese traditions, old and new. He took great care to make sure our trip was perfect in every way. The hotels were so nice – – if nothing else, please stay at the Quinta de Sao Luis in Douro Valley. It’s a must! We saw the Algarve coast from east to west and experienced the different land and waterscapes. We took time to enjoy the beautiful beaches, caves, and sunsets. We did walking tours, a river boat ride, kayaking, wine tastings, and a once in a lifetime incredible day on a yacht. We also had time built in to wander on our own and relax. Tiago was so knowledgeable, flexible, kind, and caring. He tended to every detail of our trip. We never would have experienced or learned so much on our own. We thank him so much and will forever cheer for his team…. Go Sporting!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

Truly an amazingly preserved 1940s vibe. The staff were top notch and the amenities were plentiful. Breakfast was delicious and served until noon. They also provide tea and snacks in the afternoon and port all the time. They decor is lovely and the rooms are comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has character!!

Location

We could walk to restaurants and shopping and it was easy to get a ride for longer distances.

Staff

The staff were so friendly and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vine House—Quinta São Luiz

Tabuaço

Everything about this hotel was amazing. It’s small (maybe 12 rooms). Spacious rooms with large patios and such incredible views!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

If you are looking for remote and quiet- this is the place. You will need a car to go anywhere else.

Staff

They were short staffed during our stay, but honestly the rooms and the view are what mattered here most.

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

This is a really nice hotel in a good location. The rooms were spacious. Everything was within a walkable distance. The breakfast was outstanding - so many choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

The walking tour in Porto was a great way to get our bearings and learn where everything was. The guide was very knowledgeable and provided a lot of interesting historical details. It helped us feel more comfortable navigating the city on our own afterward. Overall, it was a solid way to get a sense of the city.

Wine Estate Visit in the Douro Valley

Portugal

The Wine Estate Visit in the Douro Valley was really wonderful. Even though none of us are huge wine drinkers, we wanted to experience the local culture, and this tour did not disappoint. We even got to walk through the fields, which was a unique and enjoyable experience. This was definitely one of the highlights.

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

The dinner with live Fado music was probably our least favorite experience. The venue was very small, the dinner was quite long, and the food wasn't as good as we had hoped. However, the music and the experience were unique and worth it for the cultural exposure, just not something we'll be likely to repeat.

Boat tour Algarve (half day)

Portugal

Exploring the Algarve on a private yacht was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The landscape changed so much in a short period, and it was absolutely stunning. This activity was one of the highlights of our trip and provided some incredible memories.

We had several drivers and guides on our May 24- June 4 Sicily trip Our hotels were very nice, especially the last hotel in Ortigia, Algila Charme Hotel, which was lovely, and our room was large and beautiful. We had 3 wine tastings. the wineries of Firriato-Baglio Sorica and Principi di Butera were personal and great, but we did not like the Gambino wine tasting on Etna. The Gambino winery was in a pretty setting, but obviously catered to bus groups and was very commercialized and many tourists, We would suggest not to choose the Gambino winery again. There seemed to be other choices on Etna.
The cooking classes were nice, with just the 4 of us. I am stiil waiting for a recipe from our great cooking teacher in Ortiga, however.
The Palermo street food tour was done very well with just the 4 of us. However the Catania street food tour put us in a group of 10 people. I expected it would be just the 4 of us. I could not always hear the guide because it is a busy area and there were 10 in our group. So I would suggest you check the size of the group.
Overall, the trip was well planned for our requests. I would give it a 5 star.

We had an amazing trip thank to the skillful facilitation of Lise. She was alway open to the back and forth as we planned the perfect trip.
In Paris we had terrific guides (with the exception of Hugo on our food tour). Everything went off without a hitch.
Nice was also perfect. Sadly our cooking class was cancelled but we were promptly reimbursed. All other tours we amazing with our guides going above and beyond to assure a great experience. We have used Kim Kim for two other big trips and have been very happy but this was truly a trip to remember. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

L'abeille Boutique Appartements

Nice

An amazing apt. So well located. A bit loud at night as it is an active neighborhood but the windows did a good job of keeping the noise out.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the little private garden.

Location

Staff

While we didn’t meet the staff there was a women who brought a continental breakfast each morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Genesis

Menton

Such a beautiful hotel. A bit of a walk to the center but worth the extra effort. Rooms were lovely, beds comfortable, breakfasts very good and staff very attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable rooms and beds

Hotel le Walt - Tour Eiffel

Paris

A great hotel. Well located, great comfortable rooms, very comfortable beds, nice breakfast and great support from the staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very near the Eiffel Tower and a subway station.

Staff

Loved the breakfast room staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Monaco, Eze and La Turbie Tour Private Tour

France

A wonderful day. Our guide was very attentive and knowledgeable. Really focused on the things we were interested in. It was a great day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perfume creation workshop in Grasse

France

We loved this experience. We learned so much about perfume and our own scent preferences.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of the Gardens & Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

France

A location not to miss if you are in Nice. So beautiful and historic. Gardens were amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mikael took us to Villa France sur-mer after the Villa Such a special village.

Transport

Vintage Paris and St Ouen Flea Market tour

Paris

We loved this tour. The flea market is huge, having a guide really helped us focus on what we wanted to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Louvre Late Opening Private tour

Paris

Joanna was a great guide. Having a. Private tour of the Louvre was essential to really make this very large museum feel accessible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Covered Passages of Paris

Paris

Full day of history and walking through these historic passages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and enjoyable

We used Fei to plan half of our trip - Kyoto, Kumano Kodo, and last day in Tokyo. The hotel in Kyoto was near the train stations which was fine but it would have been nice to be nearer to the historical areas such as Gion. The first day with the tour guide was good, difficult to get around all the school travelers. The second day, our agenda said we need to arrange our own transportation to the calligraphy class, tea ceremony, and cooking class and as we were making arrangement we got notification that a driver was coming; it would have been nice to know this in advance before we spent time making arrangements. There was confusion when we arrived at the tea ceremony that we only had reservations for kimono rentals and not the tea ceremony. Not sure what happened and we tried to get a hold of Fei but only had chat as an option.

The Kumano Kudo schedule was not update with the arrangements made by the Kumano Kudo agency - when we arrived in Tanabe the agency was expecting us at 12:00 and we didn’t arrive till 4:00. This caused problems for the people who were picking us up and for the dinner. Also, by coming in late we didn’t get to hike that day. Returning from the Kumano Kudo trip, our train from Tanabe to Osaka and Osaka to Tokyo had 2.5 hours layovers - not enough time to do anything and we were able to catch an earlier train from Tanabe to Osaka but we didn’t have the information to change the Shinkansen tickets - we contacted Fei via chat (again, didn’t have any other means of communication) but didn’t hear back from her. We therefore had a long travel day and limited time in Tokyo to get dinner.

Our last day, we were supposed to go to the Ghibli Museum and when we arrived our tickets were scrutinized. We weren’t sure if we would be let in as the staff felt our tickets were forgeries. We again tried to contact Fei and the staff were asking for the contact person who booked our tickets and we had no information to provide them. After about 20 minutes, they allowed us to go in but they said they would be contacting you for the future.

Overall, we had a great trip but wish we had better communication with Fei or someone else that we could have requested immediate feedback.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Near the train station with good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good to be near the train station but nothing unique.

Staff

The staff weren’t very helpful when we asked if they could make a dinner reservation for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Typical large hotel

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Very difficult to find using Google maps.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing traditional.

Location

Large hotel with a good view of Shibuya Crossing.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kawayu Midoriya

It was a nice location but with the rain the outside onsen flooded. The bathroom was rather dated.

Authenticity & Character

Bathroom was dated and there weren’t many amenities that a fee wasn’t charged.

Location

near the river and a bus stop

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Minshuku Chikatsuyu

Tanabe

Beautiful location by the river.

Authenticity & Character

Traditional sleeping mats

Location

Loved that it had an onsen after hiking.

Staff

Very helpful and had great food

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glad they had a washer and dryer as we were soaked by the rain.

Kiyohime

Tanabe

They picked us up at the bus stop and took us to the house. They made amazing food, both dinner, breakfast, and bento box lunch!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was nice to have a traditional sleeping space.

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Cooking Class

Japan

Loved the class and the instructions. They were able to modify the recipe/ingredients for my husband to have a gluten free option.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No guide

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

There was confusion with our reservation but we they made sure we had the experience.

Quality of Experience

Liked understanding the process and the history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Just a driver

Transport

Calligraphy Class

Kyoto

We only had an hour and wish we had had more time.it seemed rushed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No guide but a driver picked us up and dropped us off.

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Loved seeing the shrines and temples but very crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide and driver

Transport

Half Day Arashiyama Cycling Experience

Kyoto

It was pretty crowded dodging visitors but we could get to locations quicker.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Had a guide and driver

Transport

The trip plan was great and provided so much information and connections through what’s app worked out so well. Everything was well organized and our local specialists Nicola & Sara were very helpful.
All of our guides and drivers were very good,

All of our accommodations were excellent and they provided delicious breakfasts!
We enjoyed driving through Slovenia and Istria.
Croatia didn’t disappoint with beautiful country coastline, islands and very friendly welcoming people.
We think next time we’d like to come in the fall when n the weather and water might be warmer.
Thank you
Carol & Jim

Valentine did a great job in planning our visit. The two hotels she found for us were superb as was our tour guide in Marseille (Sebastian), and the cooking class with Yvan and Edward. We would say that the work done by Valentine exceeded our expectations. In addition, we really enjoyed Baux en Provence and especially St. Remy en Provence. Both towns were both scenic as well as culturally interesting. Due to an illness we were not able to do the bicycle tour in the Luberon, but I’m sure that would have been great fun. Valentine also helped us in both recommending restaurants as well as booking tables for us. This too made our trip more enjoyable and reduce any angst about restaurants. During our trip Valentine was mostly available and when she wasn’t able to respond quickly, her backup Mathilde was always there to answer questions and help with our visit. We would definitely use KimKim in the future. Thanks Valentine for a great time!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Saint Ange

Aix en Provence

This hotel was perfect in terms of location, facilities, room, etc. Couldn’t have been more enjoyable and comfortable. The staff were extremely professional and helpful. Great hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Book this hotel without hesitation. Only mistake we made was not booking a table at the hotel’s restaurant

Le Saint Remy 5*

St.-Remy-de-Provence

Right in the heart of St. Remy. The location couldn’t have been better. Everyone at the hotel were extremely friendly, professional and helpful. Our room was fantastic as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Everything to see and experience in St. Remy is within 10 minute walk of the hotel. Great location to do the Van Gogh walk to St. Paul’s Hospital.

Staff

Staff genuinely makes you feel welcome and went out of their way to ensure we had a very pleasant stay

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

France

Fortunately there were no emergencies, but we did have contact with Valentine and Mathilda during our visit. They always responded quickly and were helpful.

Quality of Experience

Cooking Class & more in St Remy de Provence

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Fantastic experience with Edward and Yvan. The visits to the olive oil producer, goat farm, butcher and vegetable shops were all informative and most enjoyable. Yvan is a terrific cook and very good teacher. Learned a lot and ate well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Baux de Provence Castle & Quarries of Lights (Combined ticket)

France

We had lunch and an enjoyable experience in Baux de Provence. Unfortunately I became ill and we never got to the Quarries of Lights but everyone at the hotel and in Baux told us that it was a great experience. Next time….

Quality of Experience

Mediterranean Tastes: A Private Gourmet Food Walk

Marseille

Sebastian is the best! He clearly knew Marseille, its history and culture, and especially the wine and food tour we took with him. Great stops and met fabulous people along the way. Highly recommend touring with Sebastian

Quality of Experience

The shops he took us to were first rate and the merchants most welcoming.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kristiina did a great job planning our 15 day itinerary! She was attentive to our personal interests, likes and dislikes.
Fenne also did a wonderful job booking all the tours, excursions, hotels, and modes of transportation. Two of the four hotels we stayed at could have been nicer however, the room at one of the hotels had the loveliest view of any place we’ve ever stayed in all of our travels. Everything worked like clockwork without a problem. Julia was our 24 hour contact while traveling in Norway. We only needed to use her assistance once and she immediately took care of the issue.
We spent several days in Oslo. What a beautiful city! We then flew to Alesund, a lovely small city along the coast where we took excursions to Geirangerfjord (breathtaking), an e-bike tour, and a bus tour of surrounding islands. We then flew to Bergen where we did a guided kayak tour, a guided tour along the fjords including a boat trip down Hardangerfjord (magnificent). We then took a lovely ferry ride to Stavanger where we hiked to Pulpits Rock one day and went on a fjord RIB Safari. A relaxing train ride back to Oslo then gave us the final day to visit the Kon-Tiki and Fram museums which were wonderful.
All of the cities were very walkable and easy to navigate.
The Norwegian people couldn’t have been nicer. Very friendly and helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Stavanger City

Stavanger

Not a great location. Our room looked out on an alley type road with nondescript buildings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Dark and tired looking. Not a great location. Poor view from room. Looking at a big office type building not far from our window. Eating area very dark. The walls were black.

Authenticity & Character

Rugs were old and worn. Eating area dark.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Great location. On the water.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Øygarden Kayaking Excursion with Island Lunch

Bergen

Leisurely kayaking around low lying islands. Nothing strenuous. Guide was friendly and informative. Lunch was very good. One of the local fisherman cooked up a fresh fish meal. Yum!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lysefjord RIB Safari from Stavanger

Stavanger

Enjoyable. A bit jolting at times. Got to see Pulpit Rock from the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pulpit Rock Hike with Lunch

Stavanger

Our guide was super nice and engaging. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see anything as it was foggy the whole time. But we got some good exercise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Hardangerfjord Tour: Voss Gondol & Mt. Hanguren Panorama

Norway

Our guide Arne was great!! He even brought a drone. Stopped at a few waterfalls. One was spectacular. The fjord trip was great. Gorgeous scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Viking Islands of Giske & Godøy

Ålesund

Leisurely bus tour around the surrounding islands with visit to a church and lighthouse.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

We were on a boat with a group of other people who had park service guides. The guides gave interesting commentary about the surroundings which made the ride more interesting .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Art Nouveau Discovery by E-Bike

Ålesund

Our guide was friendly. We rode out of the city to an adjoining island which was lovely. From the Art Nouveau name of the tour we thought we’d be learning about the architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport was involved

Oslo private tour

Oslo

Our guide was great!

Quality of Experience

I honestly cannot think of enough wonderful things to say both about our local specialist, Chris and the company as a whole. From the beginning stages of planning all the way up until the end, everything was smooth and seamless. Chris was extremely knowledgeable and very easy to speak with and always prompt with his responses. The trip was tailored perfectly to our likes/interests. It's truly hard to pinpoint a specific 'favorite' from the trip, as there were so many great moments. If I had to choose a few, I'd say the cooking class in Vamos is an absolute must. The atmosphere was so unique, the food delicious and the instructor, Mrs. Koula was very warm and inviting. Another highlight was the Jeep Safari from Rethymno to Prevali beach. It was so enjoyable to go 'off the beaten path' to smaller villages in the mountains and to a very private, beautiful beach. Dionysus, our guide, was a lot of fun and had great information to share with us!
All of our accommodations were centrally located, which was so great as we ended up walking most everywhere. Speaking of walking......we did A LOT of that but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way as it took us to some places that we likely wouldn't have ended up at otherwise. All of the tour guides we had were exceptional; very knowledgeable and friendly. The preset transfers were convenient and very prompt. All of the extra recommendations given by the company (restaurants, neighborhoods, sights, etc) were an added bonus.
Overall, I cannot recommend this company enough! If you're thinking about planning a trip, don't hesitate to reach out to them!!

Hotel Reviews

Alta Vista Suites

Santorini

Hotel was very unique, cave-like hotel. Took a bit to adjust to the very little natural light, however, really loved the quirkiness of it!

Authenticity & Character

very authentic; cave-like

Location

within walking distance of many shops and restaurants; view from the hotel was incredible!!

Staff

Eduardo was EXCELLENT! Never stops moving and extremely pleasant and helfpul

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olive Green Hotel

Heraklion

we literally only slept here so I can't speak to much about the hotel. It was sufficient for what was needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

we only interacted with the gal at the front desk but she was very short with us and not real friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rimondi Boutique Hotels

Rethymno

This hotel was wonderfully located. So quaint and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

super cute and very unique floor plan - loved having our own rooftop deck!

Location

great location in the heart of the 'old' town

Staff

The woman that assisted with breakfast every morning always had a smile on her face and was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

very tidy

SanSal Boutique Hotel

Chania

very well kept boutique hotel!

Authenticity & Character

modern hotel; large balcony on the waterfront

Location

within walking distance of the old port and many restaurants/gift shops

Staff

very friendly staff - eager to assist with any questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Plaka Hotel

Athens

Excellent location

Authenticity & Character

quaint hotel with lots of character

Location

within walking distance of so many great things

Staff

The gal that comes around at breakfast every morning to see how things are going and if we need any assistance was wonderful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Preveli Beach Jeep Excursion from Rethymno

Rethymno

going 'off the beaten path' was so interesting - getting to see what life is like in small villages in the mountains was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dionysus was so much fun and extremely knowledgeable

Transport

Cooking Class in Apokoronas

Chania

The uniqueness of this class was incredible. The setting was located in an old Olive Mill. The cook was very warm and inviting. The food - SCRUMPTIOUS!!

Quality of Experience

Food

very authentic and the flavors were out of this world!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

the promptness of the drivers was perfect!

Our trip to Sicily was terrific. The drivers were very punctual and the guides were pleasant and very knowledgeable. We loved our walking tour of Palermo with Donilla. Montreale and the Palatine Chapel were awe inspiring. Learning about Sicilian street food as we ate our way through the market was such fun. We enjoyed our cous cous cooking class followed by a delicious lunch and wine tasting at the wine resort in Trapani. The ruins at Agrigento and in Siracusa were excellently and thoroughly explained by our guides. It was interesting to compare the street food in Campania to that of Palermo- both yummy in their own way. The hotel in Agrigento and the one in Ortigia were exceptional. Our hotel in Palermo could benefit from some renovation but the location could not have been better. We gave our cooking class in Ortigia an A+. A great meal and an excellent chef. Noto was a pleasant surprise in terms of architecture. Our jeep ride to Mt. Etna with the very affable Giuseppe provided the perfect ending to our tour. The only “miss’ was the Gambino winery which was very commercial and not up to the standards of our 2 other winery experiences. All in all, a super vacation. Hats off to Melanie for her planning and assistance!

Hotel Reviews

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Siracusa

Excellent location, gorgeous room, very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel baglio della Luna

Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

A beautiful spot, gorgeous gardens, nice rooms

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Principe di Villafranca

Palermo

Great location, helpful staff, needs a bit of updating

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across from the Theater

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catania's Fish market tour

Italy

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Etna Jeep excursion

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giuseppe was an excellent driver and guide!

Transport

Village of Noto

Italy

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Guided Tour of Syracuse - Ortigia food tour and baroque tour

Italy

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Wine tasting

Agrigento

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Sicilian Cooking Class + Wine Tasting

Palermo

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Private tour in Valley of the Temples

Italy

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Visit Monreale

Italy

Awe inspiring

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Guided Tour of Palermo

Palermo

Donilla was an excellent guide!

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Our trip was wonderful and perfectly planned and executed by this company. I would recommend them to everyone. All of the tours were personal and our tour guides were exceptional with immense knowledge. We loved the cooking lesson in Vamos, the jeep tour excursion in Rethmyno, and the sea kayaking in Santorini. We probably enjoyed Chania the best with all the beautiful architecture, history, terrific fresh food, and our place to stay was beautiful. All of our hotels were within walking distance of everything we wanted to see. AND we did a lot of walking and climbing!!! Also, our transfers and tour guides were always very prompt! It was probably a once in a lifetime vacation for me, as I'm 73, but I don't think we missed anything!

Hotel Reviews

Alta Vista Suites

Santorini

A very unusual hotel with a cavelike room. Eduardo worked so hard carrying our suitcases up and down stairs. He went out of the way to help us and brought us our breakfast every day. It was close to everything, but not a lot of walking traffic in front of us.

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rimondi Boutique Hotels

Rethymno

Very nice hotel in a great location. Room was very nice with a juliet balcony and our own private balcony for relaxation. Food was wonderful and the waitress was very accomodating and friendly

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SanSal Boutique Hotel

Chania

Beautiful hotel and close to everything we wanted to see and do. Terrific breakfast. The lady that came around during breakfast was very helpful and nice.

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Staff

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Plaka Hotel

Athens

perfect place to stay, close to innumerable restaurants and the acropolis and the museum. great breakfast, too.

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Staff

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Olive Green Hotel

Heraklion

Not a bad place to stay for a night. The street noise was pretty loud and the receptionist was not too friendly

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Activity Reviews

Santorini Farm Tour: Food & Wine

Santorini

We had a local tour guide that was involved in all of the processes we saw. The wine tour was great and she personally knew a lot about each wine. The tomato farm was great with 5 different ways to enjoy the fruit.

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Food

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Santorini Sea Kayak tour

Santorini

Adonis and his crew were very good at helping all of us. The sea was not calm, but they were very watchful. We would recommend this to all ages. I am 73, and I enjoyed it. The lunch was good at the beach, too

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Private Knossos & Museum Tour

Greece

My goodness ! I didn't know one person could retain as much knowledge as Lena. She was the best tour guide we had, and didn't waste any time. Her enthusiasm showed!

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Private Preveli Beach Jeep Excursion from Rethymno

Rethymno

This was one of our favorite tours. Dionysis (sp?) was great with a lot of information about all the local agriculture, and wildlife. We had some great picture stops, and the restaurant for our meal was amazing.

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Food

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Rethymno Food Tour

Rethymno

Vincent was a good tour guide, although it was an English tour, three of the people and he spoke French most of the time. The last restaurant was a surprise. We wouldn't have ever found it by ourselves. Very good food.

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Food

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Cooking Class in Apokoronas

Chania

This was one of the best experiences we had during the trip. Maria was very interesting and made it a hands on class. The food was terrific and the site was great too.

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Food

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Local Transfer in Chania

Greece

Our transfer was right on time and had a lot of information along the drive

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Private Old Town of Chania guided walk

Chania

Areagna( the princess) was full of information. We enjoyed all the history and architecture.

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Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

wonderful tour with a very knowledgeable guide.

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This is our first experience with KimKim. Alexis is the best !! He helped us from the beginning and guided us throughout the planning process. He built a custom itinerary to match our schedule and time. The transportation between the airport and the hotel was terrific. The guides in Paris ( Biba and Carols) are outstanding. We truly enjoyed walking tours; the tour in London with Chris was one of the best. Accommodation in Paris was excellent. We had a bitter experience with the Royal National Hotel in London during both stays. I reached out to Alexis before our 2nd stay at the National Hotel, and he managed to upgrade our room, but the upgraded room also has issues. The only benefit of staying at Royal National is the location. The hotel is on the street, and the rooms don't have AC. So, we had to keep our windows open, but the loud traffic noise did not let us sleep.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Lorette - Astotel

Paris

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Royal National Hotel

London

One of the worst hotels I ever stayed.

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Staff

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Activity Reviews

Palace of Versailles Half-Day Self Guided Tour including Transportation from Paris (Self Guided/4Hours)

Paris

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St-Germain Pastry & Chocolate Tour (Group Tour/3Hours)

Paris

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I had the best trip of my life thanks to Melanie. She guided my mom and I from A to Z to completely immerse us in Roman culture. She was very flexible with Zoom and answering our questions. She has lots of experience!

We went to Rome for 5 days and a day trip to Florence!

Activity Reviews

Historical Rome walking tour and Colosseum guided Tour

Rome

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Duomo skywalk

Florence

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Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

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We had a fabulous holiday in Peru. Very happy with the service provided by KimKim and I would definitely recommend them to others considering this trip. Our guides, accommodation and drivers were excellent on the whole and we felt the itinerary was very well planned out.

Hotel Reviews

Hatun Inti Boutique Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

We enjoyed our stay here. Lovely room overlooking the river at the back of e hotel. The staff were all friendly. Breakfast was adequate and the evening meal (included with our booking) was very tasty. Right in the centre of Aguas Calientes so handy location wise I don’t think you could ask for more!

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Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay

Urubamba

Stunning location and decor. Food was absolutely wonderful. Our room was really comfortable and all the staff were very kind.

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Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sonesta Posadas del Inca Puno

Puno

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Staff, room, food all 10 out of 10!

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Staff

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La Casa de Mamayachi

Arequipa

Fabulous peaceful location and the view from the garden was stunning! Rooms were clean and the beds were very comfortable. We slept really well. The gentleman at Reception was very helpful and spoke good English. We found the public areas very cold, but our bedroom was warm. Food was not good.

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Acolpacha - Tambo Boutique

Arequipa

Fabulous hotel! A little walk from the centre but the advantage was that it was very peaceful. Staff were very nice and we would have to give a special thank you to Juan in the bar/restaurant. He was one of the most helpful members of staff we came across during our 6 week South American adventure! Our room was really lovely. Very comfortable bed, good shower, lots of space for our belongings, no noise from neighbouring rooms, stutters made it nice and dark at night and we really slept well. Lunch and dinner in the restaurant were excellent and great value. Our experience at breakfast was a little haphazard but I think it was down to the inexperience of the staff and the language barrier. Food quality was not a problem, just trying to communicate simple needs like toast and butter!

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Location

Staff

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Los Portales Cusco

Cusco

Lovely stay in the centre of Cusco. Surprisingly quiet in our room although we were at the front of the hotel. Food was good and staff were all very friendly.

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Staff

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Lima 18 Boutique

Miraflores

Fantastic hotel. Lovely room, with lots of storage space and a very comfortable bed. Breakfast was one of the best we’ve had travelling through Ecuador and Peru over 6 weeks!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close enough to the centre but in a quiet area so we got plenty of sleep!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Short Inca Trail: Morning at Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Loved our visit to Machu Picchu. It’s one of the most fabulous places on earth! Nothing can prepare you for the experience of standing there with all the magnificent mountain peaks around you.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lunch at Unu

Peru

Lunch was magnificent! One of the tastiest and varied meals we had in Peru. Highly recommend it to others.

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Food

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Maras Salt Ponds

Peru

Fascinating place. Our guide made it very interesting and we appreciated his knowledge.

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Pachamanca: Traditional Andean Underground Cooking

Peru

Very interesting activity! We both enjoyed it.

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Soft hike from Pachar to Ollantaytambo

Sacred Valley

Loved this day. The walk was very pleasant and Ollantaytambo was really interesting.

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Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms

Sacred Valley

Nice to see the Camelids all together, although the tapestries were by far the most interesting thing at the location. Pisac was fabulous. Really enjoyed the stop there and would happily visit again if we had the opportunity.

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Sailing in Lake Titicaca: Taquile, Luquina & the Uros floating Islands

Puno

One of my favourite days! The Uros Islands was great, but Taquile was even better. Stunning place!

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

Peru

Long journey but the scenery was lovely. The visit to the hot springs was the least enjoyable part of our holiday in Peru.

The Condor’s Cross View Point

Colca Canyon

Stunning scenery and great to see the Condors flying.

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Walking City Tour in Arequipa

Arequipa

Beautiful city. We loved wandering about here and the Monastery of St Catherine was superb!

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Must sees in Lima

Peru

We enjoyed our visit to the Larco Museum and it was worthwhile having a walk in the historic centre. I don’t think there would have been any advantage in staying any longer in Lima. One full day was enough to see the essentials.

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The Short Inca Trail: Ollantaytambo to Wiñaywayna

Peru

Wow! This was one tough climb! I knew it was going to be a challenge, but nothing can quite prepare you for the ascent over the first few hours. Glad I did it for the sense of achievement, but it’s definitely something people need to give serious thought to before signing up for it! For me, this was the only way to see the view from the Sun Gate ( I now know it’s possible to do this again from Machu Picchu site) and to be honest, the view of the site was not as mind blowing as I had expected. It was so sunny and so far away that I couldn’t really appreciate it. If I had the choice now, I would have skipped the 1 Day Trail and just walked to the Sun Gate from Machu Picchu.

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We had a wonderful experience with our tour and Emilia was wonderful helping and suggesting ideas on the way. Argentina is a beautiful country, lots to see and experience.
Emilia made arrangements to meet us, which was very kind.

When you go on a trip to a faraway place it is great to be able to have someone working close to the locale to put together various tours, tickets, lodging, transportation options and a well thought out agenda that meets your needs. Even more important, especially when there are so many different vendors and moving pieces, is that when something goes wrong - and inevitably something *will* go wrong - there is someone who is quick, responsive, kind, caring and capable to manage things and smooth out those bumps. This was very much the case working with Vicky on our Australia trip. We were traveling with a diverse group of 4 people: myself, my wife, our 28yo son who is on the autistic spectrum and my 85yo mother who is 85yo! We were travelling to Oz for our niece's wedding and wanted to work up a tour of major attractions on the East Coast around that given that once you're there, you had best stick around and check out the wonders of the place. Vicky worked with us to build up a trip plan with sufficient activity for our son, sufficient rest days for my mother and sufficient highlights for us all to remember. She connected us with private and small group tours all with excellent guides and she set up comfortable accommodations throughout. She was also mindful of our budgetary limitations and worked with us once we arrived to tweak, adjust and troubleshoot as necessary. The bumps were few but when they happened, they were quickly resolved, and the entire trip has provided a lifetime of memories for us all. I found kimkim/vio through an internet search and Vicky through random assignment, but I do feel like I won the lottery on the whole experience.

We had a fantastic summer vacation to Aus - covering Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne.

Paula from Kim Kim was exceptional in helping our family chart out an iterenery and gave us suggestions and inputs to mix it up for the whole family as it was our first trip to Australia and we did not want to miss anything big in these cities.

Our hotels, local guides for all our daily trips were super nice and well experienced about the places and local details to make each day memorable for us. I would highly recomend Paula and Kim Kim for anyone to plan your next holiday and i am sure we will go back to them whenever we can.

Deepak

Hotel Reviews

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

Centrally located in CBD area of Melbourne. Cross to the tram lines. Very close to the South Cross Railway station as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bay Village Tropical Retreat & Apartments

Cairns, QLD

Centrally located, Clean, friendly staff. However a bit outdated in terms of modern amenities - like good Wifi / Power outlets in the room. No elevator in the property to move heavy luggage.

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Location

Staff

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Vibe Hotel Sydney

Sydney

Centrally located in Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the Sydney Harbour and centrally located in the CBD area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Dandenong Ranges & Steam Train Trip

Melbourne

Was a fun trip for kids. The Puffing train ride had good views and worth it.

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Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip

Melbourne

Amazing drive on the Ocean Road. Quant small towns to stop for views and food made up for a good day spent outdoors.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Guide Fred from Oceana Tours was outstanding and made the long drive so much fun by sharing his own experiences and wit.

Transport

Daintree Rainforest Full Day Adventure by 4WD

Australia

A good day trip to experience the Tropical forrests of Cairns. Walks, views and some sighting of the birds and crocs in the area was a nice touch. The trip was a easy day trip for those to like nature.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Day Trip

Australia

Super day trip to either Snorkel or go Diving to experience the GBR. Worth the day for the amazing views.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff on the boat were extremely good, equipment was top notch.

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

This was a laid back trip to view the Blue Mountain and the amazing views with some small walks / hikes that you can do. Not a packed agenda .

Quality of Experience

Food

The Lunch at Boiler House was a very good meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Must do activity in Sydney if your on your first trip and have a few hours. The views of the city were amazing. The briefing and start of activity takes some time but later you realise that for the safety of everyone it was needed. You can pick the day time or night time climb depending on weather and how you want to see the views.

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Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

A quick way to experience the Sydney Opera house, Downtown Buildings, Harbour Bridge for some awesome photos

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Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Must do if your in Sydney first time.

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