Kimkim Trip Reviews

From start to finish, both KimKim and their local tour guide partners and companies utilized, were fantastic. As for KimKim itself - with the exception of one time where I had to email a few times to get a reply while awaiting some answers - the professionalism and communication was excellent. I was very happy with the planning process. The ground transportation by Alex was perfect and then for the four subsequent days of touring, our private dedicated tour guide Willy was absolutely phenomenal in every way. Not only was Willy helpful and professional, but he was wonderful with our 10 and 6 year olds which in and of itself is enough for a glowing review. I have nothing but good things to say about everyone involved in this process and can’t wait to use KimKim again, and if we go to Costa Rica again, we will absolutely want driver Alex and tour guide and specialist Willy!

Amazing spring break in Iceland. First time to this island that truly does seem out of the pages of a fantasy novel or tele-series. Rita was our local specialist and arranged our trip specifically to our needs. She was prompt and answered all our questions and queries. She also provided a ton of helpful tips to make our trip more seamless.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

The Blue Lagoon itself was wonderful including the pool and their facilities. But the weather played spoil sport, it was cold, windy and rainy and rather miserable. I am sure the experience would have been 5-star worthy had the weather cooperated.

Quality of Experience

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Was great. Tom (from Devon, UK) was an awesome guide. And based on his recommendations we had one of the best fish and chips ever from the food truck.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tom was fantastic

Transport

Reykjavik Food and Drink Adventure - Local Evening Experience

Reykjavík

Was the highlight of our time in Reykjavik. Stevie took us on a culinary tour and also filled us up with local knowledge. We even got to taste the fermented shark (rather gross). But rest of the food was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

Was just amazing and otherworldly. Very relaxing and wasn't too crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Although all of us were tired from the long flight in from US, the boat trip from Olafsvik woke everyone up. We had close encounters with Orcas, Sperm whales and porpoises. It was a great start to our vacation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our vacation has been phenomenal. Lorenza did an amazing and wonderful job with the planning, hotel and dinner reservations, tour guides and drivers! We loved our time in Sicily. Ending our vacation in Taormina and staying at the Grand Hotel Timeo was truly special. The vistas from the hotel of the sea and Mt Etna are spectacular!!
Thanks so much for all you’ve done for us. We will be telling all of our friends that they need to go to Sicily and use you to plan and book their vacations.

Salem was an informative & organized guide.We really enjoyed our time with him.He gave us lots of insight into Moroccan culture & various historic sites.Kimkim was very helpful in coming up with an itinerary & providing accomodation in the Medinas of each location.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Overall a good hotel but the rooms were quite small.

Authenticity & Character

I liked the rooftop eating area & pool.

Location

Easy to access everything in the old part of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

This hotel was absolutely beautiful!! From the moment we arrived until the minute we left our experience was fantastic.The staff were amazing & the breakfasts were excellent with so much selection.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel with so much detail in the decoration.

Location

Very central for walking around main center of Fes.

Staff

Super friendly….sadly I don’t remember any names.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very clean & super spacious.

Riad El Palacio

Chefchaouen

Beautiful spacious rooms in a great location.We could walk everywhere in the town.The staff were friendly & helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Rose

Tangier

Beautiful little place with a fantastic view of the city.Breakfast was delicious & Lorraine was a very welcoming host.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Fes is an absolutely amazing place!! We were astounded by all the artisans & loved our visits to the tiling,pottery & leather workshops/stores.The markets were utterly mind boggling as well as the maze of streets!

Quality of Experience

Visit to the Jewish quarter & cemetery were interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Salam was an excellent guide for the day.

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Beautiful drive & we really enjoyed our tour of Volubilis.The site was amazing & the guide was very knowledgeable.Disappointing that Meknes was all under renovation so we really didn’t see much, but we enjoyed a nice lunch there.

Afternoon Exploration of Morocco's Blue Pearl

Chefchaouen

Salam gave us a good restaurant recommendation ……Triana that we ended up going to twice!!! Love this small town,it was really fun to explore on our own.

Guided Tour of Tangier (upon arrival)

Tangier

Tour never happened because our ferry arrived very late due to circumstances beyond our control.We were disappointed that we would have to pay $100 US to reschedule for the next day considering we paid $2600 US each. It wasn’t the greatest way to start the tour.

Quality of Experience

Rebook to the next morning

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We have enough notice that we would be delayed for the tour to be rescheduled.

Transport

Weren’t given all the info we needed to make a choice

My good friend Tim and I decided to take a trip to Morocco to see a land I had never explored. We decided to hire a guide to make the trip easier for us. Had we had the opportunity to design the perfect guide, we could not have done better than Jamal. If you are fortunate enough to be able to meet and travel with Jamal, then you will have a beautiful experience in a wonderful country. His knowledge and energy can not be over stressed in this review. His driving ability is second to none. We got to travel Morocco with the perfect guide. Every city we visited, and every stop we made were enhanced by his presence. Often I don’t ask enough questions, and Jamal could even fill in all the blanks to anticipate what I should be asking. The eight days spent with him will remain with me till my final breath. He knows the ins and outs of Morocco like nothing I could have expected. It brings tears to my eyes even now thinking of the care he took to make my trip perfect. Please seek this young man out for your adventure. I only hope we can meet again someday. I hope he has a great life. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Said and the other guides who also guided us around on the other city tours. Said lead us through Fez and his high energy made that part of the trip perfect. Thank you Said for your service in Morocco and also in the United States Army.

Thank you Mieke for planning my trip to Bhutan. There was a good mix of culture, nature. hiking and lots of wonderful photo opportunities. The highlight was the hike to the tiger’s nest and the hike and overnight stay at the Dodeydrak monastery. The guides and driver from WindHorse tours were excellent especially Namgyel & Taschi - punctual, professional & helpful. I fell in love with Bhutan and its people. I would definitely go back!

The trip was amazing. The guides were knowledgeable and interesting. Monica was excellent.
The places picked with the help of Randall were great.
Our hotel, Volcano hotel spa and thermal experience room had tiny ants in the bathroom. Not so good.
The hotels in general were good. Helpful and accommodating.

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finland is incredible, kimkim made it easy.
I had an amazing time. During my time in Rovaniemi I went hiking to the Korouoma Canyon (Wild About Lapland was my guide) to see frozen waterfalls, floated in a survival suit in a frozen lake--YOU HAVE TO DO IT, YOU CANNOT FEEL THE COLD WATER AT ALL ( Pedro with Nordic Adventures was knowledgeable and hilarious), went dogsledding with Nordic Odyssey, snowmobiling with Safartica, and got my picture taken with Santa at Santa's Village.
In Sinettä, I stayed at the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos where my room was made of ice and snow, it was cold, but it was worth it to stay one night bundled up just to say I did it.
In Ivalo, Janne with Northern Lights Rider knew exactly where to go to find great views of the Northern lights and took great pictures.

Why book with kimkim? First, my local specialist Moonika was patient and easy to work with. I made a number of changes in planning my itinerary--different adventures, different dates, and Moonika always came up with a great plan to make everything work.
With kimkim, I didn't have to worry about booking rooms and adventures and drivers and a hundred other things. My accommodations were booked, tickets for the adventures were booked, when a driver was supposed to pick me up to move to a different city, he was there on time and ready to roll.
And I appreciated that Moonkia checked in every day to make sure things were going well. For someone traveling alone in a foreign nation, that was a comfort.
I will definitely book through kimkim again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos

Rovaniemi

I had one of the ice rooms, it was cold, but they do give you the necessary equipment for bundling up and staying warm in your icebed.

Location

wonderful frozen lake behind the hotel, an amazing view.

Staff

really friendly, very committed to your comfort.

Hotel Ivalo

Ivalo

Pretty good hotel, comfortable, clean. The only problem, just for me, is that were no English language channels. So take an iPad or a laptop if you want some evening entertainment.

Staff

I don't remember names, but the dining room staff was very kind.

Apukka Rovaniemi City Apartments

Rovaniemi

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because the lift was out on the day I left and I had to carry all my bags down the stairs. Other than that, great location, lots of hot water, comfortable bed.

Location

it was right in the city center. You could walk to anything in less than 10 minutes

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean, very comfortable, very warm.

Activity Reviews

Aurora Hunt by Car

Finland

Janne was my guide. Very knowledgeable about where to go to find good views of the lights.

Quality of Experience

The guide, Janne and his assistant clearly knew the best spots to go.

Dinner at Ice Restaurant

Sinettä

What made it special, it was a complete meal eaten in a restaurant built from ice.

Quality of Experience

The food and the decoration.

Northern Lights Safari by Electric Snowmobiles

Finland

Overall this was enjoyable, but we didn't see the northern lights.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very good at getting us set up, keeping us safe, grilling some snacks during the stop.

Husky Sledding Safari

Rovaniemi

DOGGIES! Steering the dogs as the driver or sitting in the sledge, both are fun. And afterwards, you get to hang out with the dogs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the staff so knowledgeable, so willing to answer questions and let you hang out with the dogs afterwards.

Aurora Ice Floating

Finland

This was so much fun. You cannot feel the cold water at all. You can either float on your back or tread water.

Quality of Experience

it was just so much fun. I would have gone back again if there wasn't so much more to do

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was knowledgeable and hilarious. I wish he had been my guide for all my adventures.

Korouoma Canyon & Frozen Waterfalls Adventure

Finland

Quality of Experience

Food

grilling sausages and marshamallows

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 12-day trip to the North Island was fantastic and exceeded our expectations! Our trip was originally scheduled for Nov 2020 and because of Covid we had to defer. Franck helped re-plan the itinerary for March 2024. Highlights included a New Zealand food story tasting menu at Ahi in Auckland, the Wai Ariki Spa at Rotorua, Mt. Takawera crater walk, Waiotapu geothermal area, Tongariro National Park and Kapiti Island. The trip was perfectly customized to our preferences and everything worked very smoothly.

We absolutely loved our trip to Thailand! We can't say enough about our local specialist, Tina who helped set everything up. From start to finish, she had 5 star customer service and helped make our trip go smooth!

The best part of our trip was getting to know the local guides. Each one was so welcoming and gave us memories to last a lifetime. Our guide Betty in Bangkok was so fun and made us laugh, and "B" in Chiang Mai gave us the best stories and even played the guitar for us! In Phuket our day guides were wonderful as well including Wilson for our kayaking excursion!

We love that Kimkim allows you to choose your own adventures and plans the trip designed for your interests. The excursions, the people, and the culture made Thailand so special and a trip we won't forget!

Hotel Reviews

Bodhi Serene Chiang Mai Hotel (SHA Extra Plus)

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Charm Resort Phuket

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phi Phi island, Khai island, Pi Leh lagoon & Maya bay by speed boat

Phuket

This was an awesome excursion, being able to swim in the lagoons was a highlight of the whole Thailand trip! The only thing I would note is the speedboat was definitely overbooked. We had over 40 people in one boat and were crammed in. There was no room for our bags so we had to leave them on our laps. Other than that, it was a great time!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

John Gray's Sea Canoe - Hong by Starlight

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome and Temple Treasures of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Bangkok by local transfers and walking tour

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Cooking Class Experience-Small Group

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Trek Doi Suthep & White Hmong Hill Tribe Village

Chiang Mai

This was the only part of the itinerary that was not what we expected. We drove up to the village and there wasn't much to see besides another market. We thought this was a full day hike to a remote village but that definitely was not the case. I would not recommend this or I would change the verbiage since it's quite misleading.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Food Tasting in Chinatown!

Bangkok

Definitely don't eat before this! We had so much food it was hard to walk after! We loved that Betty knew the best spots to go and got everything for us. All we had to do was enjoy the food and experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!

Bangkok

The Floating Market was amazing! We went early in the morning so it wasn't as busy and was quite peaceful! The Railway market was very crowded and we did have to wait quite a bit for the train to come but it was still a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Bangkok!

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wow, travelling thru 7 cities and 6 national parks of Chile in just 16 days, from Santiago to the Carretara Austral Lake District thru the end in Patagonia was a complex itinerary to plan, and amazing! Thanks go out to Erin and Nara for making this dream trip possible. Special thanks to our wonderful tour guides, hiking guides, drivers and hoteliers. All were very accommodating, knowledgable, punctual and kind. Jass company who provided hiking guides in Alerce Andino and for the Osorno Volcano and Paso Desolacion, and Aysen Tours in Cerro Castillo, and Litour driver in Torres del Paine deserve particular 3 cheers! Highlights of our trip have to start with the beauty of the Carretara Austral Lake District and the hike to Osorno Volcano and Paso Desolacion, beautiful Puerto Varas, stunning scenery of the Cerro Castillo valley, visiting San Rafael glacier from a boat with seals floating by on icebergs, kayaking to the marble caves in Rio Tranquilo, visiting Magdalena Island to see penguins up close in their natural habitat, and of course day hiking in Torres del Paine with highlights the French Valley and Macho canyon and seeing wildlife including a puma in the wild hunting a guanaco, a magellanic woodpecker, flamingos, deer and grey fox. The food in Chile was wonderful, people kind and welcoming, and scenery like a NatGeo documentary. One surprise was that although the average, historical temperature was 50-60 degrees at this time of year, our trip was not the average, with daily temperatures 20 degrees below normal, with driving, icy rain and even light snow falling in early March on some days. Additionally, while I knew the itinerary included long transfers, 3-5 hours straight on unpaved, rocky and pot-holed roads can get very punishing, so traveling thru the Lake District requires some hardiness, but the rewards are worth it!asks again for an amazing trip.

The trip was amazing.

Every activity was wonderful. The riads were beautiful. The hammam, the tours - everything was incredible.

Also, Oussama was absolutely amazing!! He was so knowledgeable and so helpful. He had incredible recommendations and he took such good care of us!! I will definitely be requesting him when we go back! Absolutely the best!!

Hotel Review

Yes We Camp

Marrakech

Amazing! Incredible views, comfortable tents. Just mindblowing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

Amazing!!! So good that we ended up going back a second time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Three Hour Cooking Workshop at La Maison Arabe

Marrakesh

Absolutely incredible! They were so knowledgeable and helpful! It was wonderful!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro and "Responsible Travel" Review - Unfortunately, I was disappointed with his services. In the lead-up to our trip, we needed to reschedule (military leave being cancelled), but unfortunately, Alvaro did not seem willing to assist with us rescheduling or getting a refund. There was also a lack of communication after the terrorists' attacks in Ecuador led to the cancellation of other major cruises, and I believe he should have been more proactive in updating us on the status of our trip as news unfolded.

The overall planning of the trip left much to be desired. For example, on our first night, I had to stay up until 11 pm to find out the details of our next-day pick-up, which should have been provided several days before our departure. Plus, despite being promised a private transfer from the airport when we initially arrived, we did not receive one and had to wait approximately 30 minutes while the hotel shuttle accommodated other passenger's arrivals.

Furthermore, the sequencing of activities was poorly planned, with a visit to Cotopaxi scheduled right after the Galapagos. This timing proved challenging as we were still recovering from seasickness (a common issue for Galapagos small-boat cruises). The abrupt transition to an altitude of 14,000 feet was not conducive to our well-being/enjoyment and should have been scheduled for the following day. Additionally, the activities were cookie cutter tours that I could have arranged on my own.

In conclusion, based on my experience, I would not recommend Alvaro or "Responsible Travel" for future travel arrangements.

"Adia Maria" Review - While the Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife, I strongly advise against choosing Adia Maria (Galapagos cruise boat) for your cruise. Despite the stunning surroundings, our experience with the boat was highly disappointing. The vessel was excessively rocky and uncomfortable, lacking proper lounging areas. Due to their lack of planning, we spent approximately 20 hours on the boat per day, and without lounge chairs or a place to exercise or walk, we were forced to be sedentary in our room or the two uncomfortable (and wet) benches provided. The bench cushions were consistently wet, either from rain or the crew washing them every morning. Spending a considerable amount of time cruising without lounge chairs The lack of mobility or proper resting areas made the journey terrible.

Our guide, William (Billy), proved to be subpar, with difficult-to-understand English and a tendency to focus on his own theories rather than scientific or historic facts. He dictated the activities and their duration, only making adjustments when prompted and with attitude. The lack of seating, freezing inside cabin, and constant staff presence created an uncomfortable atmosphere, exacerbated by unprofessional behaviors like staff's underwear hanging and staff's clipping their toenail in public guest lounge spaces.

Adia Maria also displayed a lack of concern for safety, with a reluctance to provide life vests while swimming. Our snorkeling experiences felt unsafe as William swam rapidly, often leaving part of the group behind. On the first day, he assured an easy swim around a bend with shallow water, but it turned out to be a challenging and perilous swim with low visibility and strong currents. One day, he left four passengers swimming without life jackets or a boat nearby in deep water with sharks and sea lions for over 20 minutes.

Overall, the crew's apparent disdain for their jobs and passengers, combined with safety concerns and uncomfortable conditions, made Adia Maria an unsuitable choice for a Galapagos cruise. I strongly advise against selecting this boat for your trip. On a positive note, the food was great!

KimKim Review - I've used KimKim twice and previously recommended it, but I won't be using or endorsing the service anymore. I love the visually appealing nature and use of their website which provides well-crafted itineraries. However, the perception of a USA-based company is misleading as once handed over to a foreign travel "specialist", there's no genuine US-based support from KimKim. For instance, they claim on their site that most trips can be rescheduled with no loss, but this isn't upheld by travel agents, based on our experience this claim is false.

We faced the need to reschedule due to the cancellation of my partner's leave as she is Active Duty Military. Alvaro told us that despite that and the country being deemed unsafe to travel, attempting to reschedule would result in a 70% loss of our money (luckily a family member was able to sub at the last minute). A similar issue occurred in April 2020 during our honeymoon booking when a foreign travel "specialist" refused to refund any of our money despite the world-wide shut down due to COVID-19. Surprisingly to us, KimKim supported the foreign agent and not us.

Another significant drawback is the lack of a cost breakdown, causing major disappointment, as it's hard to assess the value of the experience relative to the amount paid. It raises doubts about missed opportunities for better choices in different areas and constant feeling of overpaying. Consequently, I won't be using the service again. We paid KimKim/Alvaro nearly 11K, and the overall experience does not justify the cost. I estimate I could have organized this independently for around 7K, making the 4K in fees for their "services" seem unwarranted.

Travel in Ecuador/Quito/Galapagos - Ecuador is a great country; this is my second time going. Beautiful landscapes, great food, and friendly people make it a fantastic destination. I believe it is entirely possible to plan a trip independently. While you may need a guide for specific experiences, securing one through your hotel or online bookings is feasible. Looking back, I wish I had organized my own trip rather than using KimKim. Additionally, I recommend choosing group tours over individual ones. The private tours did not provide adequate value, and in some ways, made the trip worse. We had three tour guides, and only one spoke English well enough to adequately answer questions or provide relevant information. Plus, the tour guides were reluctant to customize the agenda and spending 5-8 hours with a stranger non-stop was exhausting plus they were not even customized. Finally, Uber provided an easy, affordable, and convenient transportation option.

Hotel Reviews

EB Hotel by Eurobuilding Quito

Quito

This is a great hotel. Highly recommend staying if you need to be close to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/Y Aida Maria

Galapagos Islands

"Adia Maria" Review - While the Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife, I strongly advise against choosing Adia Maria (Galapagos cruise boat) for your cruise. Despite the stunning surroundings, our experience with the boat was highly disappointing. The vessel was excessively rocky and uncomfortable, lacking proper lounging areas. Due to their lack of planning, we spent approximately 20 hours on the boat per day, and without lounge chairs or a place to exercise or walk, we were forced to be sedentary in our room or the two uncomfortable (and wet) benches provided. The bench cushions were consistently wet, either from rain or the crew washing them every morning. Spending a considerable amount of time cruising without lounge chairs The lack of mobility or proper resting areas made the journey terrible. Our guide, William (Billy), proved to be subpar, with difficult-to-understand English and a tendency to focus on his own theories rather than scientific or historic facts. He dictated the activities and their duration, only making adjustments when prompted and with attitude. Although the boat is tiny, we were told it typically carried 16 guests. Fortunately, our cruise had only six people, and they were all pleasant. With no room to avoid difficult personalities, I shudder to think of the chaos with more passengers. The lack of seating, freezing inside cabin, and constant staff presence created an uncomfortable atmosphere, exacerbated by unprofessional behaviors like staff's underwear hanging and staff's clipping their toenail in public guest lounge spaces. Adia Maria also displayed a lack of concern for safety, with a reluctance to provide life vests while swimming. Our snorkeling experiences felt unsafe as William swam rapidly, often leaving part of the group behind. On the first day, he assured an easy swim around a bend with shallow water, but it turned out to be a challenging and perilous swim with low visibility and strong currents. One day, he left four passengers swimming without life jackets or a boat nearby in deep water with sharks and sea lions for over 20 minutes. Overall, the crew's apparent disdain for their jobs and passengers, combined with safety concerns and uncomfortable conditions, made Adia Maria an unsuitable choice for a Galapagos cruise. I strongly advise against selecting this boat for your trip. On a positive note, the food was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife

Staff

Find people who want to be there and don't overtly hate the guest

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seating areas

Activity Review

Mindo Experience: Hummingbirds

Mindo

This was the best part of our trip!!!! Spend the majority of time here. This was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, had a very memorable trip with my daughter to Switzerland and Milan. Clothilde was great to deal with, and very responsive to any hiccups along the way. There were a couple of issues that didn’t go as smoothly as planned, but she was responsive when that happened.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Spadari al Duomo

Milan

Overall, the location of this hotel was great. This was not my favorite hotel. The rooms were very very small. The beds were not as comfortable. The bathroom was small. This is considered a small boutique hotel. when I requested to upgrade to a larger room they said they were full. Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel National Luzern

Luzern

The location of this hotel was ideal. It was beautiful and the rooms were amazing.. breakfast each morning was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were a little hard for my taste.

Activity Review

Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe - from Interlaken Ost

Interlaken

Amazing sites. And the multiple trains that took to get there were executed effortlessly..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to NZ and Australia was fantastic. We enjoyed everything. Sabina did a great job of listening you our requests and fulfilling them.
Outstanding features of the trip included our overnight cruise on the Southern Secret in Doubtful Sound. The tour by Australia Nature Tours was also outstanding. Kangaroo Island staying at the Sea Dragon lodge was the highlight of the trip for me.
Our only wish was that we had more time in each location to explore.
Highly recommend KimKim Co.

Dear KimKim Team,

I would like to thank you for the amazing experience! The whole team who took care of us was more than great. Jessica made the whole program due to all our needs and expectations. The whole trip - transfers, hotels, excursions were more than well organised. It is not our first time travelling with KimKim and definitely will not be the last!

Thank you, Team! You are amazing!

Gary was there for me online from start to finish, always checking in and quick to respond to my questions. He was so personable and easy to work with that I’m considering another vacation in 2025!

I loved that he worked with me to accommodate family who wanted to join me for part of my visit to Australia; his efforts to get my brother authorized as another driver for the rental; and changing out my hotel in Sydney during the planning process.

The itinerary with all the additional details and photos was super easy to follow - I appreciated having an electronic version as well as a printed version for when I was off grid and couldn’t connect via wifi to the internet.

I sat on the very top of Australia all by myself for over an hour last week and thought, “how fortunate am I to have had such a wonderful vacation that fell into place exactly the way I had dreamed.”

A huge thank you to Gary!
I’ll be back.
Cheers,
Jo

We completed an 8-day car tour of the Western fjords to Akureyri and back to Reykjavik, from 3/8 - 3/16/24. Emanuela of KimKim prepared our itinerary, from a questionnaire answered in advance. The original itinerary required very little modification, and was thorough and entertaining for the (5) of us. We were blessed with perfect weather for each of the legs of our journey, and that, for Iceland, was lucky. The first night we viewed the Northern Lights - one of two clear nights. The gentleman that took us into the land Northeast of Reykjavik for the viewing, Hjortur Kristianson, was entertaining and knowledgeable of the terrain. We then proceeded to Snaefellsnes and loved the circumferential drive around the peninsula. Our night at the Kast Guesthouse was perfect - we really loved the remoteness and simple but adequate lodgings. We enjoyed meeting the owners the next morning - we strongly recommend this lodging. Our tour of the lava cave was simple and very adequate., with a very nice guide from Serbia. The drive to Akureyri was uneventful and beautiful, our 4-wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser was a great car for our journey - enduring a couple of white out blizzards. Our Hotel Kea in Akureyri was well located near the Centrum and worked well. If we did this again, we might have done a night at a different lodging near Lake Myvatn - to have a more remote setting and break things up. The whale watching was very professional and we located three whales. We really enjoyed the two ladies that hosted us for snowshoeing, The Traveling Viking (VTT) - Inga and Rachel (the owner). Next time we might enjoy cross country skiing - there was just enough snow. We recommend the use of TTV for bookings.The three recommended and ticketed hot springs were all perfect, and well timed. We most enjoyed the last one at Hvammsvisk, near Reykjavik, was our favorite, - again because the cold windy conditions ma=de the visit that more special. The food at that Springs was very good - especially the soup.

We really have no criticisms - we thank Emanuela for her attentiveness to our requests and her constant communication during our vacation. The use of a travel agent is a first for us in over 20 years of travel. We will strongly recommend KimKim to friends and in other reviews. Keep up the good work, you arranged great tour groups in a beatiful setting, providing us great memories of the beauty of Iceland and its people.

Thanks you, Chuck, Cecile, Quentin, Alex Toner, and Kristianne Otiong

Excellent experience all around! There were no unpleasant "surprises" or problems with any aspect of the trip - what a relief to just give my name and check-in at the car rental, hotels, and tours! The itinerary was well planned and reflected exactly what we expected. The lodging selections were perfect for my son and I, and each hotel had it's own special charm. I would gladly visit any of them again. Our favorite stay was at the Hotel Klaustur, and not only for the hospitality, rooms and delicious dinners; Gunnar was an excellent bartender and provided interesting dialogue on the country's recent history. We swam in the town pool, which was next to the hotel, both days of our stay, too. The Hotel Umi was our top breakfast pick, but again - every stay was outstanding! The activities Èric arranged were with quality companies and the experienced guides made snowmobiling, hiking and exploring an ice cave on three different glaciers and horseback riding so much fun (horseback riding was a favorite, it was longer and more than the leisurely trot of other trail rides I've been on!). Based on the itinerary suggestions, we augmented the scheduled activities with others of our choosing (including snorkeling in Silfra, Fontana Spa, Sky and Secret Lagoons, and "Waterworld" - Keflavik's local swimming pool complex). My only regret? Leaving! I wish I had planned at least three more days in Iceland. I can't wait to plan our next trip, and will be working with KimKim again. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Great experience. It was bitterly cold, but the gear provided kept us warm. The only minor negative was two fellow travelers who felt the need to make the trip a personal photoshoot, and disregard the instructions of the guide in several instances...they should have been last in line (the group of ~ 25 snowmobiles was to stay in a line), or arranged a private tour. Their actions mildly marred an otherwise great tour.

Quality of Experience

It was incredible to know that you are riding a snowmobile on a glacier, and there are real risks (but I always felt safe, the guides were very clear in their instructions and there were several that accompanied us).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, safety oriented. Staff were efficient in getting the large group ready and on the tour on schedule.

Transport

Bus driver was knowledgeable, he went on the snowmobile ride, too. Safe driving.

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Icelandic horses - what's not to love?! This was a great experience. The actual ride is 90 minutes, and the horses trot/increase gait at times. It was my first experience like this (where horses actually pick up speed), and while I was a little worried about falling off when my horse picked up speed, it was exhilarating!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was obvious they love horses and what they do!

I had never used KimKim before and only went by the online reviews and I was not disappointed. The trip was absolutely perfect. Every detail was thought out and everything went very smoothly. There was always a driver waiting when promised, meals when promised, and tours that didn't disappoint. We had a What's App group chat and the team let me know on a daily basis what to expect. The entire experience was unforgettable.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

Great location. 2 blocks from the main street. Adorable authentic lodge type feel with ample sitting areas downstairs. The hot tub was amazing and the massage was incredible as well.

Authenticity & Character

Lodge type feel. Clean

Location

2 blocks from everything

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

An incredible hotel with amazing views. Only a short (20 minute walk to town) or a 2 minute Uber drive. The food at the breakfast buffet was outstanding and dinner at the hotel was delicious as well. The room was spotless.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Great views

Staff

Outstanding

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Hotel Ilaia

Punta Arenas

This was an adorable boutique hotel with all the amenities. The rooftop room had unforgettable views. The team even packed us a to go breakfast because our tour left so early in the morning.

Authenticity & Character

Adorable decorations and homey lounge

Location

Centrally located

Staff

Assisted with our every need

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Free Time in El Calafate

El Calafate

El Calafate is an adorable town. I was glad that we had a free day to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour Through The Glaciers

El Calafate

The boat was large but the sea was rough. If you get sea sick be prepared to take something. The views were worth it though. The Glaciers were breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perito Moreno Glacier

Chile

Highly recommend. The Glaciers are gorgeous and the park is amazing as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Patagonian Ranch Experience

Puerto Natales

The full day ranch experience was a once in a life time experience. From the second we got on the boat to get to the ranch it was breathtaking. The ranch was gorgeous and the people working there were so knowledgeable and kind. The horse back ride was icing on the cake and the horses were very calm and docile. Not to mention that the food was delicious.

Quality of Experience

First class

Food

Delicious fresh unlimited lamb and potatoes along with a lovely salad and of course local wine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

The boat ride was amazing and the tour of the ranch was as well.

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Great tour but the bus was small and crowed. Not a deal breaker, but a little uncomfortable. We were the last hotel to get picked up so we were stuck in the very back corner of the bus. I am sure the front would have been amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Our tour guide Kim Kim had lunch arranged for us and it was great. Cafeteria style, but delicious and good quality. Love the lodge where we ate.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

The boat ride over was rough, but that is nature. The people on the boat were very nice. The tour guide was informative and the penguins were worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Professional staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful and informative

Transport

Boat was well equipped and clean. Be prepared for rough waters.