Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip was amazing! Every guide and transport was ready for us. Our trip was well planned. It went very smooth. One incident on our way to airport was resolved by Holden and Nancy immediately.

It was a trip of a lifetime!!!

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

I did not like hotel. It was clean but no outdoor spaces to enjoy. Food was subpar compared to other hotels we stayed at. No privacy when using bathroom or shower from other guests in my room.

Authenticity & Character

Contemporary. Did not feel like authentic Costa Rica.

Location

Right downtown. Good for walking and sightseeing.

Staff

Language barrier. Did not talk to anyone really.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Beds and pillows were very nice.

Gaia Hotel And Reserve—Adults Only

Quepos

Hotel was a little dated and not as well taken care of as the first 2 hotels we stayed at. Beds and pillows were comfortable. Too hot to enjoy the roof top patio. The resort was laid out a little funky. Not enough staff to take care of things the way I expected. Nice place, but not exceptional. I did like that we had a 2 bedroom villa.

Authenticity & Character

Weird layout of resort and pools.

Location

A little far from beach and towns.

Staff

Very friendly. Private concierge was amazing!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Need more staff. Pools needed to be cleaned more often. Villa was clean and comfortable. In need of updating.

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds and hotel. Clean.

Location

Very peaceful.

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable beds and pillows.

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Absolutely amazing! The buffet was wonderful. Rooms were clean. Beds and pillows were too hard for my liking. Food was delicious. Beautiful volcano views. Seen a lot of wildlife, including a sloth on our resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very excited. Made us smile just seeing his excitement.

Transport

Savegre Whitewater Rafting

Costa Rica

Loved this activity!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Not great compared to food we had in other places.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

I would not choose this again. We did not see wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Safari Float at the Penas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was one of our best experiences!!! Wildlife was amazing. Our guide was beyond amazing!! I would do this again with our guide! Surpassed every expectation!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was amazing. Our guide was knowledgeable. The hike was more difficult than expected. Very hard for my mom.

Quality of Experience

The view was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Patient. Went at our own pace.

Transport

We had an amazing trip through Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale. Murat provided many great ideas to make our trip amazing and he was very responsive to our needs. Our trip to Sirince, a small town in Turkey, was a fantastic suggestion. Murat arranged a great boutique hotel with a incredible sight over the whole village. The balloon ride in Cappadoccia was very memorable. Given the unpredictable weather during winter, we could have missed this opportunity but we were fortunate to capture this and had a once in a lifetime view of this amazing out of the world landscape. Sebnem, our local guide in Istanbul, was fantastic as she really listen to our needs and went out of her way to make our trip fantastic as well as her recommended restaurants. We also liked to explore on our own as well as using local guides to complement our experience. Murat really helped in making this possible. Highly recommend using Kimkim and in Turkey, Murat's team is fantastic!

I am almost 77 years old and my biggest complaint is the number of activities that are packed into one day. I had the same problem in Spain last year and even though I purposely added a number of rest days, I would say the trip was still too exhausting.
Mariana the logistics person should be awarded a gold star. She was excellent and without her help the trip could have been absolute disaster. She should get a pay rise.
The hotels were excellent.
The guides were good and especially the guides to Uxmal, Rio Lagartos and the operator Bejil-Ha.

Michael nos cuidó a cada paso. Tuvimos una experiencia increíble con Kim Kim. Estamos muy contentos.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quetzal Dorado Ecolodge

Zaino

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sweet Harmony by Xarm Hotels

Minca, Magdalena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Visit to San Basilio de Palenque

Cartagena

This community has a wonderful story and a rich history but it was worth a 30 minute visit. They parade you around the city and ask for tips at each stop. Not that enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide that Kim Kim arranged was wonderful. I cannot say enough great things. In Palenque we got passed off to another guide who had an interesting story but not worth more than 30 minutes.

First time using a platform like this, or a travel agent of any kind, and it worked out well. Dat was a very responsive travel planner who provided us with lots of ideas and options for tours, day trips, activities, hotels, everything. Overall everything went incredibly smoothly and was a lot of fun! The airport transfers, random pickups and drives were all very timely and comfortable. We focused on food and did a lot of related activities, the standout being Chef Ai's cooking class in her home kitchen in Hanoi, which started with a morning market walk and included plenty of cooking and eating but also really good discussion about Vietnamese food, culture, history, and the future! We also had city-specific guides with us for multiple days and I have to give kudos to Cuong (our honest and incredibly informative guide in Hanoi and Ninh Binh), Trinh (our foodie guide in Hue) and Nam (our comical and friendly guide in Saigon). They were full of information and insight, spoke English very well, provided us with great recommendations for things to do when we had free time, and were just pleasant people to spend time and chat with.

If I have anything critical to say it's that we spent too much time in Hoi An (4 days) and not enough in Hue (1 full day), but that's personal preference. Overall we hit many of the main sights and cities of Vietnam and for our first visit to the country it was a great introduction and overview. I want to return to spend more time in the mountains and do some trekking.

Overall highly recommended!

Activity Reviews

Hoi An Sightseeing and Food Tour

Hoi An

Hoi An is a cute town and seeing it in the morning was a very different (and pleasant) experience compared to the chaos of the evening. Our guide however seemed mostly disinterested and didn't volunteer much info, preferring to walk hastily from place to place and look at his phone while we were eating.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food, as always, was good, particularly the cau lo and banh mi.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide James seemed disinterested an distracted.

Transport

Hoi An Local Market, Basket Boat, Fishing & Cooking Experience

Hoi An

This tour is interesting but felt a bit rushed and ultimately very touristy. The cooking experience was actually really well-done and interactive, but the rest of it was not our cup of tea in that it was very touristy. Chef Hai, our guide for the day works hard and was at his best in the kitchen, he made the experience better in every way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Cooking experience and Chef Hai were the highlight of this actvity/tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chef Hai is working hard and made the cooking experience a lot of fun!

Transport

Real Taste of Hue food

Hue

Trinh guided us around her hometown of Hue for an amazing night of food. She's a foodie herself so it was fun to chat, ask all sorts of questions about how central Vietnamese food differs from the rest of the country, and to learn about the history of the area at the same time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trinh was a truly amazing guide, in all aspects, but particularly for this food tour.

Transport

The cyclo drivers were professional and pleasant.

Private Home Cooking Class with Chef Ai & Local Market Experience

Hanoi

One of our best experiences in Vietnam! Chef Ai and her niece were engaging, pleasant, and skillful. From the market walk to food prep to sharing a meal together, it was a really special and comfortable experience in Chef Ai's home.

Quality of Experience

Food

The flambeed shrimp and pomelo salad was excellent, the fried fish was perfect, and the fish sauce pyramid was educational in the best way!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Our guide Cuong walked us around the old quarter for various dishes, snacks, and drinks. It was pleasant, well-paced, and delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

The banh cuon and beef pho were standout but it was all good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My wife and I had a great time on the 13-day trip Rozanne and team organized for us. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and every day had something new to see and experience. Thoroughly enjoyed the wide variety of activities, visiting temples, historical sites, safaris, village tours, fantastic views, cultural and craft demonstrations, etc. Accommodations were all top notch and our guide Roshan was excellent, very knowledgeable about all the places we visited, came up with good ideas to enhance our itinerary, introduced us to local foods on drives, rearranged daily itineraries to optimize time usage, and was a wonderful travel companion. Highly recommended!

Abdellatif was very responsive in adjusting the trip to our requests.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel and Residences

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel, not in the Moroccan style.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great view of the blue city, but a lot of climbing to get to the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

Fes Medina

Room was very spacious, but there are a lot of stairs to climb and my wife fell on a wet floor. Also, be aware that if you wish to eat dinner in the hotel your menu choices must be reserved one day in advance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Difficult to get to.

Staff

Staffing was inadequate the first night. One man, who was trying very hard and was accommodating, but needed help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

Luxurious camp, better than many 4 and 5 star hotels.

Authenticity & Character

Berber nomads did not have anything close to this level of comfort.

Location

Spectacular at sunrise.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

Very elegant and comfortable. Be aware that this hotel does not accept credit cards.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the souk.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

Casablanca

Very comfortable modern hotel. Convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fes to Chefchaouen via Meknes & Volubilis

Morocco

Visit to the Roman ruins Volubilis is a must on the way to Chefchaouen.

Quality of Experience

Roman ruins of Volubilis

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Fes Medina

Fes

Sharif, our guide to the Souk and all of Fes was excellent and made the experience entertaining and informative. It is a lot of walking, but worthwhile.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sharif was excellent, as noted above.

Transport

Private Transfer From Merzouga to Fez

Morocco

Once again, a long drive but Faissel did his best to keep it interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Skoura to Merzouga

Morocco

Long drive from Skoura, but well worth it for the desert camp experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Faissel was professional and friendly throughout.

Private Transfer from Marrakech to Skoura via Ait Benhaddou & Ouarzazate

Morocco

Faissel, our driver, was a superb guide throughout this trip but gave us many interesting bits of information on this leg of the journey, especially.

Food

Elegant dinner at the Ksar El-Kabbaba in Skoura.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Hanan led us through the souk with expertise and calm. We got to sample many delicious foods. Try to save room as we were so full that we had to decline yoghurt at the end of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

A must with a private guide. Hanan was clearly very knowledgeable and experienced in guiding us through the souk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Beautiful modern mosque. Joined a large group tour which was informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What an incredible New Zealand trip!! Liz actually listened carefully to my very particular interests, and crafted a trip that took it all in. My highlights: A custom private guided tour with Peter from Bush and Beach. Peter was especially chosen for me, as he is also a botanist and Arborist like myself. I had asked about going to the Coromandel Peninsula, so Liz hooked me up with John, the owner of Kiwi Dundee for a semi private tour emphasizing my study of Captain Cook. We got to visit a Māori Pa, (hill fortress) mentioned in Cook’s journals, as well as a great scenic overlook of Cook’s Bay. A trip to Sanctuary Mountain was good, but one of my best experiences was the overnight on Kapiti Island with its incredible bird life! A small group tour of Zealandia Preserve at night finally got me a wild Kiwi sighting. Oops, lol, I forgot to mention my private tour of a Kiwi hatchery which was awesome! Thank you Liz! Last but not least, was my private tour of the New Zealand Museum in Wellington, where my guide exceeded my expectations as she changed her standard tour to cater to my paleontology interests and Captain Cook exhibits there. All in all, a dream trip of a lifetime, well done!

Argentina Jan2024
Hi Kristy,
Lost this in outbox but found it yesterday.

Yes, it was an adventure. For the most part, we enjoyed it: the waterfalls, the wildlife in the Iberá, the parks and train ride. We missed the Beagle Channel but we didn’t mind. We saw the penguins and had a boat ride.
For your future tours of Argentina, I would recommend no more than one activity per day. 4-6 hours roaming about is more than enough for us(mid 70 age group). We had to rein in Juansecondo after 5 hours. He was wonderful.
In fact all the tours were great with enthusiastic guides who love their country.

We loved Ibera but the drive was daunting. We would never have made it in if there had been a downpour. As it was, getting out was difficult too even with the big 4x4 due to the heavy rain that came the night we arrived. However the magnificent thunder and lightning storm we witnessed our first night made up for a lot. The lagoon was stunning and we had 2 outings each day with a knowledgeable ranger. Only one other couple at the lodge who arrived a day after us. But we understand why due to access.

The accommodations were gems esp De La Fante in Iguazú. Kind of rundown at first glance, but hiding a jewel of a 5 star restaurant within with servers in suits and knowledgeable. Sushi and Italian kitchens- absolutely delicious and affordable. A highlight.

Palo Santo in BA was a delight. Helpful and friendly with very good food and affordable. The hop on bus didn’t work for us, took 6 hours to complete. That’s without getting off, lots of waiting at stops. We got off after an hour and took a city bus back to PS. we enjoyed seeing the Belles Arts and Evita museos. Our guided city tour was excellent. We mostly had Muhammad for our driver in BA. His English was pretty good and he was very sweet.
Wasn’t crazy about the tango dinner and show-very expensive and obviously a cruise ship money maker cramming 200+ people into the venue-hopefully never a fire.

Tierra de Leyendra was nice and quiet. Unfortunately apartments are being built in front and will ruin his view of Beagle Channel. Sebastian is a former banquet chef whose dinners were generally good but expensive and not as good as De La Fante. The hot tub was not open. Would have been nice. Being a taxi ride out of town was a nuisance but we found a nearby park by the river and ocean that we frequently walked in and enjoyed. Ushuaia is very interesting.

All in all a good trip. Many thanks to you and team.
Sharon and Eugene Fenton

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique De la Fonte

Iguazu

A lovely location like an oasis with two pools to cool off in. Our accommodation was clean and comfortable with veranda. On the whole, the resort seems a bit tired but the hidden gem made up for it in spades. A 5 star restaurant that appeared nightly, 2 kitchens, sushi and Italian, gloriously served by young handsome men in suits and bow ties. All affordable priced. Best steak I’ve ever had!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tierra de Leyendas

Ushuaia

During our five-night stay at Tierra de Leyendas in Ushuaia, we had a wonderful time. The lodge had a European chalet-style feel, and the owner, who had European roots, provided top-notch service. The rooms were not very spacious, but the overall ambiance was quiet and pleasant. While the location was slightly inconvenient for getting into town, the delicious food and nice presentation made up for it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It made it hard to get in and out of town

Staff

The owner was a professional chef and delivered amazing food!

Hotel Posada de La Laguna

Corrientes

A wonderful experience. Thunder and lightning show our first night that went on for hours. The estuary was magic. Wildlife abundant pointed out to us by a good guide. 2 boat rides a day included. Authentic meals in the lodge. Road in a 4 hour ordeal-very rough. Only negative and explains lack of guests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palo Santo Hotel

Buenos Aires

The staff helpful, cheerful, and caring. We had fun with them in this lovely boutique hotel. Good English and patience explaining and arranging options for us. Restaurant- quiet, private with a lovely wall garden, the staff accommodating as were the hours. Delicious food moderately priced. Decor: quirky mid - Century modern, roomy , with balcony, space and furniture for sitting, colourful and tasteful. Located in a beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day of Adventure at Iguazu Falls: Exploring the Argentinian Side & Gran Aventura

Argentina

Visiting Iguazu Falls was a breathtaking experience. On the Argentinian side, we had a knowledgeable guide who showed us hidden gems around the waterfalls, such as rare birds and their nests. Despite the intense heat, the day was filled with awe-inspiring sights and experiences. We also took a boat ride under the falls, which added an extra thrill to the adventure. The next day, we explored the falls from the Brazilian side, which offered a different perspective. The walkway extending over the falls was both exhilarating and slightly nerve-wracking. The natural beauty we witnessed was worthwhile. Overall, our visit to Iguazu Falls was a highlight of our trip, and we were glad we visited both sides of the falls.

Posada de La Laguna Lodge- Activities

Iberá

We had an incredible time engaging in various activities. The lodge was situated in a serene location, offering us the chance to immerse ourselves in nature. We went out twice a day on a boat to observe the diverse bird species in the area. The surroundings were peaceful and quiet, providing a perfect setting for bird watching. The lodge itself was lovely, and we enjoyed our meals there. The highlight of our stay was the wildlife we encountered, making it one of the best parts of our trip.

Visit the Penguin Colony on Isla Martillo, Explore Puerto Almanza (non-walking tour)

Ushuaia

Seeing all the wilflife and the penguins was one of the highlights of the trip! Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Transfer from Puerto Iguazu to Posada de La Laguna Lodge

Argentina

The journey to the lodge was challenging due to the rough road conditions, the experience was well worth it but I would highly recommend ensuring travelers have a sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicle for the journey.

Transport

A trip to remember covering all the highlights of culture and natural beauty Sri Lanka has to offer . We managed to cram two weeks worth of sightseeing into 10 days with the help of Rozannes planning and our wonderful driver Aruna . There was plenty to do and see for an active group of four with plenty of time for relaxation in between . Our preferences and requests were taken into consideration and the trip ran smoothly so all were satisfied.

We had a very memorable trip to Galapagos! I had originally planned this trip with KimKim back in 2021 but we had to cancel it because my older daughter got Covid a few days before we were to leave! We were devastated to cancel at the time and because one daughter had graduated college and the other was half way through, I didn't know if we'd be able to plan it again. (KimKim was helpful when we had to unravel that trip).

Turns out I was correct, when I attempted to almost 2 years later it didn't happen. FINALLY, with Tamer's help, we made this happen! Ironically, the first time we only planned a 4 day cruise and staying on some islands with day trips. I had since read more and spoken to others and realized we probably wanted a longer cruise to see more things. Tamer helped us find an 8 day cruise on the Coral II. We had the best naturalist. We saw every kind of land and sea creature we hoped to see. The snorkeling was magical, hiking on lava filled islands, seeing volcanic craters, and great rides to see the birds were amazing. I also wanted time in Quito and also time on an island - so that we didn't JUST see Galapagos on a cruise. I threw all these requirements at Tamer and he figured it out and when i came back with lots of questions and ideas on slightly altering plans, he was patient and made changes and sometimes explained why some ideas might not be ideal.

I travel often and always plan myself. This was too much to figure out. Tamer walked us through it and he was very patient and encouraging when my schedule got busy to keep us on track and joked that we would FINALLY make this happen. And he was right and got us to the finish line! When I wanted to make our own plans in Quito and San Cristobal he did not give me a hard time.

I loved that Tamer would check on us throughout the trip - even when we were first flying out of the US and even when we were doing our own thing in Quito. Tamer arranged great drivers and transfers for us. My husband really liked feeling like there was someone guiding us at each local point. Even when we were leaving our cruise ship and finding the ferry to San Cristobal. All the little details made things easier during the trip. And even when we had some minor issues on the boat, Tamer insisted on getting in touch on our behalf. When we needed to change a pick up spot or wanted to change one of the plans on San Cristobal, Tamer was accommodating and able to change things while we were there. The communications was invaluable. I felt like I had a friend in country i could message at any time.

We already recommended a friend since we have gotten home!

Great job. The one thing I would prefer about KimKim's service is to have a breakdown of what the costs of the whole trip were. We had many parts of this trip and just having one number without a breakdown is not what I am used to. We went with it on this trip but not sure I would feel the same way on a trip that was not so complicated and I could do myself. I liked the local guide and communication in country but would have to think about it.

If you are planning a Galapagos trip, Tamer is your person! I will miss our texting!
Thank you!

Hotel Review

M/Y Coral I & II

We really liked that these two boats travel together. We liked being on a smaller boat for this trip. We didn't have long waits to get in the dingys to get out to our activities! The other guests were nice and it was a friendly feel. The upper deck had great shade and was comfortable to hang out on. We had the cabins on the top deck and we had adjoining rooms with our adult daughters. The naturalist was great! Pedro made this trip! And the crew that ran the boats to the activities were also awesome! Since we would get pretty hot with activities and the weather, the shared room on the boat had great AC which was needed! The cruise director was not great, her attention to detail and service was lacking. I think her English shoujld have been better for her position on the boat and with the passengers. Some other staff members were great and had better understanding of these skills. Our daughter had a food allergy and the chef and cruise director seemed pretty clueless which was surprising. I don't know how these experiences compare to other boats.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some were outstanding and others not so much - see general review

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had some issues with our bathroom and it took 3x to get it fixed.

Activity Reviews

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

We loved this town so much! We had two nights in a hotel right at the waterfront. We all loved seeing all the sea lions at the port and on the sidewalks. We went to visit them in the morning and evening. It smelled a little but that was ok. We LOVED several of the restaurants in town. This was our favorite of the towns we saw. The vibe was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island

Galapagos Islands

We had a wonderful super local guide meet us and we could store our luggage until it was Ferry time. You take a water taxi to the ferry. Tamer arranged for us to have the $1 each for the fare. It was a fun and funny experience - seeing the sea lions on the little docks and seeing these boat drivers pile up the luggage. My family couldn't watch as we floated out to the ferry. It was a fun experience. The ferry itself was smaller than i expected - it was a little hot - no open windows. There were outlets and usb ports over the seats but they did not work. I was fine with it - my kids were not as much. It had the local charm and adventure and i would not trade it. But it was a little hot, and the bathroom was not easy to maneuver with the fast speed but i am glad there was a bathroom! I am glad we got to do it - but it is warm and a little loud but again, local and i liked that part. I would not have wanted a more sanitized private transfer. It was just a little over 2 hours and we got to see jumping dolphins in the open water!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island) - Baltra Airport

Cruise Ship

We saw gorgeous flamingos here. We saw one in the water, and could observe her from our walk. But THEN we saw two in flight overhead - it was gorgeous! I had just been wondering how these big birds get into the air!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Urbina Bay - Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

This was the best snorkeling of the whole cruise! We had seen some of these animals in other spots but we saw rays mating. We saw a fleet of sting rays swim below us - it was maybe 25-30 in formation like an air force in flight. I lost count of the amount of sea turtles. We saw the best colored fish and coral and the sea lions swam with us. It was the best. There is a beautiful sea cave here too. And the birds are great to spot too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove – Highlands Tortoise Reserve

Cruise Ship

This was a highlight seeing these tortoises and also the cows with their cattle birds too. We saw so many tortoises! And we had a wonderful walk in the lava tube!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rabida Island - Bartolomé Island

Cruise Ship

Amazing snorkeling. Gorgeous island and rock formation. We had a wonderful hike to the top for great views. We got to snorkel to see the penguins. We had a great boat ride too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It’s been a year since we embarked on our first ever Iceland trip as a family. Duncan was incredibly patient, detailed and attentive as we planned the trip months ahead. All the experiences and accommodation arrangements were spot on and suited our budget and adventure appetite. Duncan stayed in touch almost daily while we were in Iceland.

When there were hiccups due to weather, Duncan (and Michele when Duncan could not) were always a text away to rearrange our itinerary.

Definitely recommend their services especially if you are visiting Iceland for the first time.

Overall, the planning and assistance was very good. The hotels and excursions were great. Migle was very accommodating and incredibly responsive before and during the trip to questions or concerns.
There were a few mix ups with transportation but worked out in the end. It would have been nice to know the names of the companies that our excursions were booked with because you did not know who was coming to meet you and pick you up. Also, there were a couple times when looking at the schedule things could have been moved around to allow you more time do activities or for example to not have early morning activities after a late night aurora hunt but then have another day when you start late after no events the night before. The advertisement for the shuttle at Apukka was not very accurate as it only went a few times a day and if you did not take their shuttle a cab to the city was almost 50 euro and to Christmas Village was 35 euro so that was not ideal.

Hotel Review

Apukka Resort

Rovaniemi

Great hotel and beautiful location. It is farther away from Christmas Village and city so be aware of that. Might be more ideal if you have your own car. Their shuttle bus does not run as often as they advertise it does and if you don't take it - the cost of taxi to city and the Village is quite expensive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snowshoeing Adventure

Ivalo

A lot of fun. The guide was very friendly. I will say I expected more of them talking about Finland - the history, nature, the region etc. but really we just talked about life etc. If you asked questions they answered but no set education or information about the forest/region etc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snowmobile Safari: A Wintry Wilderness Ride (from Kultahippu hotel)

Ivalo

So much fun. Guide was great and very fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Chase — Private Northern Lights Quest in Saariselkä with Expert Guidance

Ivalo

Again - no northern lights seen but overall guide was friendly and tried various locations. He did not really talk at all about the northern lights so if you wanted background on the aurora, what causes them, when to see them, history etc. you will not get that.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Snapshots: Rovaniemi's Photographic Chase

Rovaniemi

No northern lights seen but otherwise good excursion. The guide tried very hard to find the lights for us. We drove for almost 6 hours without success.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husky ride (Apukka Resort)

Rovaniemi

A lot of fun, enjoyable experience. Driving the husky sled as great. They advertise getting to play with the puppies but they only bring out 1 puppy and pass it around.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Löyly Sauna visit

Helsinki

Quality of Experience

Helsinki Walking Tour

Helsinki

First of all - I see above that it says it was 4 hours that was not true. It was 2 hours and 15 minutes long. The guide was nice and had good information. We did not go to all the sites that the kimkim agenda listed we were going to see. There was not time to go into some of the sites for example the main cathedral we just looked at from the outside. The guide seemed upset when people wanted to stay at a place for a few minutes and take pictures, he was very on the move and did not allow for much time to look around or take pictures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides everywhere were excellent - Yaya in Chang Mai and Chai in Bangkok. Very informed about Thailand in general and the centuries of history and culture that we were interested to hear about. Kelly always professionally and rapidly accommodated our many requests and changes.

Best days were 1. Full Day Phang Nga Bay Sea Canoe Tour(Join-in) and 2. Full Day Explore Doi Inthanon National Park Tour. Phi Phi worth seeing, but a bit touristee (many boats and visitors), whereas Phang Nga Bay was about right - the boat showed us traditional Thai festivals - flower boats with candles after dark; the scene was lovely. Bangkok worth the visit, but probably earlier in season - very hot in early March. While the Grand Palace is amazing - incredibly crowded. Summer Place and Ruins also fascinating.

Chala Hotel 6 in Chang Mai was very nice and well located - esp. for Sunday Night Market.
We booked Intercontinental in Phuket - would recommend again. Also, the Peninsula in Bangkok - very nice!

Hotel Review

Chala Number 6 Hotel

Chiang Mai

Great location. Nice rooms and facilities. Staff friendly. No issues whatsoever.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Phang Nga Bay Sea Canoe Tour(Join-in)

Phuket

Don't miss.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Explore Doi Inthanon National Park Tour

Chiang Mai

Lovely views. Cooler than expected, but welcome as Bangkok and Phuket were very hot this time of year. The Pagodas and flower gardens were spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our specialist for Spain was Alfonso. I was in contact with Alfonso for at least a year trying to figure out dates and doing the planning. He put a wonderful itinerary together and managed all the logistics. He got us to some places that we wanted to visit that aren’t touristy areas. He was even our driver/guide for multiple days in San Sebastian. We learned so much about Spain and the Basque areas and history. We had such a great time that we would love to have him as our specialist again and book our return trip next time with the kids.

Activity Reviews

Pintxos & Wine Walk

San Sebastián

Alfonso took us on a great walk around the Old town and it was a fun thing to do to experience local food and talk and learn about Basque culture and the history of San Sebastián.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show & Tapas

Barcelona

Smaller intimate venue with 3 generations of flamenco dancers! We also had a guided walk and a nice tapas dinner at a nice restaurant before the flamenco show located on Las Ramblas.

Quality of Experience

Food

Hike, Boat & Lunch on the Bay of Pasaia

San Sebastián

A really fun half day going around San Sebastian, walking, lunch in Pasaia at a nice restaurant, and a nice relaxing boat ride back to San Sebastián. Gorgeous scenery all around.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great safe driving around the hills and a fun relaxing boat ride along the coast.

Evening Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

We had a few guided walks with Jordi from Color bike company. He was wonderful and very knowledgeable. He brought us to some delicious restaurants and we felt like we saw almost everything in Barcelona over 3 days. He had great recommendations. You can tell he enjoys being a guide and loves to share his culture and the history of Barcelona.

Discover Zaragoza &/or fisihng activity in Ebro river

Zaragoza

Our private guide was great and we got to learn a lot about the history and see a lot around town. She took us to all the major sites in Zaragoza on an easy walk and pointed out the major landmarks/streets so we could walk around on our own easily without her.

Quality of Experience

San Telmo Museum

San Sebastián

Our private guide was amazing and we got so much out of the experience instead of having a look by ourselves.

Day trip to Guggenheim Museum Bilbao & Old town

San Sebastián

Our private guide was amazing and we got so much out of the experience instead of having a look by ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Private Barcelona Picasso Tour with Picasso Museum

Barcelona

Our private guide was amazing and we got so much out of the experience instead of having a look by ourselves.

We put together a fairly complicated trip with a lot of varied destinations. Alvaro was totally helpful and very can do in setting the trip up as we wanted it. During the travel, everything went as smoothly as butter. We were met by friendly and competent people at every stop and were escorted to our travels to the next destinations at exactly the times that were promised. We couldn't have been more pleased with the planning that Alvaro did for us. Ivan met us at the Airport in Bogota, and was with us the entire stay, actully had dinner with us. He was exceptionly knowledgable about the birds, and he could hear the calls and identify amazingly. We saw 90 bird species in 2 days. He could also spot birds and point them out to us well before we could see many of them ourselves. We were a little nervous about going to Inirida and alon the Oronico River, esp with the situation in Venezuela , but we were accompanied by able guides all the time and actually felt safer than when we were in 4th grade. The Tucunare Lodge was rustic but far removed from modern civilization. Alexandro, who was our fishing guide was quite knowlegable and competent and PATIENT. We fished for 2 days solidly and came away with some amazing pictures of us holding giant Peacock Bass. Than off to Cartegena for rest and relaxtion. Beautiful old town. Good nightlife, esp rooftop bars, and excellent food. All and all, would highly recommend Alvaro and Kim Kim for planning a trip to Columbia. Plan on asking for the same in a few years to Equador.

This trip was wonderful. I would absolutely use them again! All the resorts and excursions were great.

Holden worked with us to plan a perfect 8 days! We loved it.

Serendipity Adventures is the local specialist (Mariano) that helped plan, organize and manage your trip- they did awesome!

Holden, Nancy, and Wilman were very helpful and made it a wonderful experience!

Hotel Reviews

El Mangroove, Autograph Collection

Playa Hermosa

Great resort. The hotel was clean and close to the ocean. The beach was lovely too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

WOW! This was a lovely place. The hot springs on the resort were wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Great location! Great breakfast! The staff was very nice too. The room was beautiful too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

The sail trip was very nice! The water was clear and guides were friendly. We were lucky- there was only 1 other couple on the boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was great! We loved his tour and he was always showing us animals and pointing out things for us to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was wonderful. The private tour was a treasure! I would recommend spending the money for a private tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Margaux was excellent in planning and helping with any hiccups during the trip. Very impressed with how dedicated Margaux was in ensuring I was had a great experience even when some things didn’t pan out.

My husband I just returned from an extended trip to Argentina which included a 12-day excursion to Patagonia. We decided at the last minute to take this trip and our specialist, Natalia, with whom we worked on a previous trip to Argentina, did a fabulous job of putting together our trip considering it was prime time and availability was an issue. From the locations of our hotels, to the excursions, and, importantly, our guides and drivers, we have always found that Kimkim provides us with a quality, safe, and worry-free trip. Thank you to Natalia and Kimkim for another great trip!

Working with Adam was easy and open. Adam was very knowledgeable about Iceland and had excellent recommendations for activities between scheduled engagements. We were very impressed with the waterfalls in the southern area and will likely go back to explore some more. At first we were quite concerned about the weather forecast since it was predicting rain all week, but Adam suggested we stick to the plan and not be too worried since the forecasts in Iceland are notoriously unreliable. Sure enough I think we had only 1 and a half days of rain the whole week we were there! The food throughout the entire trip was excellent! Even the hotdogs! The one change I would make would be to extend the visit by a couple of days to add more time in Reykjavik. I think spending the first 2 days-nights in Reykjavik to acclimatize would be beneficial and the city looks like it has a lot to offer.