Kimkim Trip Reviews

This was my first time working with a travel agent and I'm now a convert. My sons (9 and 11 years old), mother and I had a wonderful time in Lisbon, Sintra and Tomar! Rita was very responsive when planning our trip (she even made multiple versions of the trip for us when we weren't sure if my mother and/or father might be joining us) and very helpful when during the trip there a problem with one of the reservations (not Rita's fault). It was nice to have someone on the ground to deal with the problem, make changes to our plans and process refunds for us (so I didn't have to spend my vacation making phone calls and adjustments). The accommodations (My Suite Lisbon) that Rita recommended were perfect for us. Having more space (two bathrooms, a bedroom, a living room with bunkbeds, a kitchenette and a small outdoor patio) made the trip relaxing, gave my sons some space to stretch out and allowed us to have a leisurely in-room breakfast every morning and a take out dinner one night. The location was in a wonderful, cobble-stoned neighborhood (Barrio Alto) within easy walking distance of sites, bars and restaurants while being away from the noise of the bars (and so making it easy for my sons to fall asleep). The activities and day trips Rita arranged for us were wonderful. The day trip to Sintra with Little Lisbon was a particular stand out. The trip was tailored for families with children and our guide really made the trip interesting and interactive for all three generations. In Lisbon, Rita provided some suggestions of places we wouldn't have found on our own (including a family-friendly bar with rooms decorated with old toys). Our day trip to Almoural Castle (including approaching it via boat and getting to explore inside) and Tomar and the Convent of Christ (former Knights Templar strong hold) was a wonderful way to end to our trip. Working with Rita and KimKim was well worth it!

Hotel Review

My Suite Lisbon

Lisbon

This small hotel on a cobble-stoned side street with a wonderful location close to sites, restaurants and bars is perfect for families. It is very close to many sites while being quiet at night (so your kids can sleep). The kitchenette and living room in our suite gave us extra space to spread out a little and the daily breakfast in our room allowed us to have a leisurely morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

In the Footsteps of the Templars: A Day in Tomar

Portugal

Our guide for this trip was more of a private driver than a guide. She didn't offer information or historical context on the places we were seeing and didn't seem to know much about the history and interesting stories of the areas we visited but was otherwise nice. She is definitely much more of an adult-only guide. She didn't really talk to or engage with my sons (9 and 11). Perhaps I was spoiled by the previous guide from Little Lisbon (who took us to Sintra) as she proactively offered the history of the area and interesting stories about the inhabitants of the people we were seeing. The trip to Almoural castle via boat and exploring inside it were a great start to the trip. We all really enjoyed the view from the water and then exploring the castle on our own. My mother was not able to access some parts of the castle due to steep treacherous stairs but she enjoyed the parts she could see. Our driver recommended a delicious small restaurant for lunch and then (when I mentioned my older son wanted to try as many Portuguese pastries as possible) took us to a pastry shop specializing in three pastries only made locally for dessert. Our driver did not come into the Convent of Christ with us (She said the signs inside were self-explanatory and offered only a very general overview of how the site was named) but we loved the convent itself and my sons enjoyed finding "secret" small passageways, stairs and rooms through out it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hands-On Portuguese Cook Class with a Local Chef

Lisbon

The cooking school mishandled our reservation and did not change it (as they had confirmed via email) which led to us having to reschedule the class itself and cancel a different activity. That being said the class itself was a lot of fun and both my sons (9 and 11) enjoyed being part of making the 9 (delicious) dishes we then ate for lunch. Since the class does take a full three hours, I would recommend doing it at night so that you can spend a full day seeing the sights before cooking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

An Excursion to Sintra for Young Explorers

Portugal

The tour guide was amazing! She made the trip interactive and interesting for all three generations of our family. She even got us the local pastries to try during lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lisbon by Electric Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

Our Tuk Tuk driver was an amazing guide and made sure to take us to her favorite pastel de nata cart on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful family trip to Colombia thanks to the assistance of Michael!
We traveled as a family of 5, 2 adults and 3 children (ages 12, 10 and 3). Michael arranged all of our tours and transfers for us. Every guide we had was absolutely lovely and we enjoyed learning about their country and culture through the eyes of locals.
Our car transfers were all seamless. They arrived on time and in clean and spacious vehicles, even equipped with a car seat for our 3yo. The drivers were accommodating and stopped when we needed for groceries, ATM or bathroom breaks. We especially appreciated Christian who was our driver on 3 separate occasions and went out of his way to meet all of our needs.

Robert was a fantastic host who lives in the area. He took us to local favorites we would have missed otherwise and adjusted the trip as we went to cater to our interests. Goran guided us for several days and was equally great! There both provided local insight to the culture and history of the area and were both a pleasure to tour with. Highly recommended and looking forward to coming back for a bike trip!

Our holiday in Chile and Patagonia was outstanding. It started in Santiago, we then went down to Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas is the gateway to Patagonia. The trip to Tierra Del Fuego to see the King Penguins was one of the highlights of the trip. Our guide throughout the day long visit was professional and kept us informed all through the journey. It was well organized. We then went to Puerto Natales to visit Torres Del Paine. The hike to the base of Torres Del Paine though arduous was certainly well worth the effort. Key pointers hike up the mountain with water snacks and I phone. Limit the load that you carry up the mountain. Our guides Vicente and Marcos were outstanding. Visiting the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers was once again one of the highlights of the trip. The final leg of our trip was in Atacama. One of kind place. Lots to see there. We would need at least a week to explore Atacama. The hotels picked by Florencia were quite good. We had a great time. Would definitely do this trip again.

Caty , Esteban and JJ with Columbus Guatemala Travel were amazing!

They made us feel so welcome and shared so much knowledge of Guatemala. All the tours that they arranged were excellent, with great accommodations and transportation and wonderfully knowledgeable and friendly guides.

Our lunch and private tour of Uaxactún with Danilo was a particularly memorable tour they arranged for us.

The whole experience from reaching out, going back and forth with ideas and dates, to landing and communicating on the ground was a pleasure.

Hotel Reviews

Isla de Flores

Ciudad Flores Petén-Flores

Very cosy hotel that has a lot to offer!

Authenticity & Character

A wonderful ambiance. Just know that there are stairs

Location

Right in the center of things close to shopping and dinner. Or you can just hang out in the bar, restaurant or pool on site

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

What a location! Right in the national park with all the explorations of the area within walking distance. The rooms, food, service and amenities were top notch! My only complaint is we didnt stay long enough!

Authenticity & Character

A lovely "rustic/natural" feeling without feeling like you are ruffing it.

Location

A beautiful lodge in the jungle! what else is there to say

Staff

Always willing to help. From holding baggage while you explore to getting you great food and drinks

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Hotel Biltmore

Ciudad de Guatemala

Exactly the right hotel to transit between flights. Nice and clean, super helpful staff and close to so much (including the airport(.

Authenticity & Character

Great travel hotel... all you needed

Location

we had a quick (early morning) flight turn around so this hotel was perfect

Staff

Very easy to communicate with and always there to assist

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guatemala City Tour

Guatemala

The tour and guide were great. Esteban showed as much of Guatemala as time and traffic would allow.

Quality of Experience

Traffic and time constraints impacted the enjoyment of this tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Flores Island

Guatemala

A very lovely boat ride to the nature preserve and a wonderful look out over the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tikal Mayan Civilization

Guatemala

What a place! so much to see and explore. This was a group tour and everyone was super!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uaxactún

Guatemala

This experience was by far the hilight of our visit. An incredible private tour of pre-classic Mayan site with an excellent and knowledgeable guide PLUS a wonderful and delicious lunch on site prepared by local village. It was only our guide and the two of use the whole time we were exploring! (Not counting the monkeys)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Danilo and his driver were fantastic. All the people at the village were very warm and inviting.

Transport

A great driver on a bumpy road. He knew the best way to get there!

Welcome to Guatemala

Guatemala

Whats to say? We arrived around midnight and were quickly met and ushered to our hotel for the night.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

JJ was a wonderful guide who shared a lot of information.

Transport

It was my second time to Costa Rica, but I traveled with my friend who had never visited it before, and it was so fun!
Phil, our specialist, was great. It was very easy to communicate with him, he made the trip perfect for us. He was very present and responsive even while we were traveling.
We loved everything, from the accommodations to the activities!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Roca Lodge

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

The lodge bungalows were rustic in appearance, but were very spacious and had all the comforts for home (AC, hot water, comfy beds and an on-site restaurant)

Location

For traveler's with a rental car, getting to/from town to explore restaurants, shops, etc is easy. For traveler's without a rental, there were a few places within easy walking distance but for most a cab would be required.

Staff

The staff were very friendly. They all went the extra mile to make our stay a happy one.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Locanda Samara Beach

Samara

Hotel Locanda Samara Beach in Sámara was a great choice for a stay. The hotel's location allowed for easy access to various attractions, shops, and restaurants, making it convenient for exploring the area on foot.

Authenticity & Character

The bungalows, with the bamboo and thatched roofs added a local flair to the hotel.

Location

The hotel is right on the beach and easy walking distance to all amenities in Samara.

Staff

The staff were all very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cleaning staff kept the entire hotel spotless

Activity Reviews

Guatil Tour

Costa Rica

The Guatil pottery tour was a hidden gem and a fascinating cultural experience. The guided tour provided insight into local pottery-making techniques and traditions, making it a unique and enjoyable activity for those interested in learning about the local culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste Hiking - Tenorio Volcano National Park

Costa Rica

The hike at Tenorio National Park was challenging but rewarding. The guide was excellent, and despite the rain, the lush surroundings and the unique blue waters of Rio Celeste made the hike a memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback Sunset Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Kayak & Snorkel at Isla Chora

Sámara

The ocean kayak and snorkeling tour at Isla Chora was a fun and exciting experience. Despite windy conditions, seeing a turtle underwater made the excursion memorable. The two-seater kayak was beneficial for less experienced kayakers, adding to the enjoyment of the activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

The zip lines and hanging bridges tour was thrilling and suitable for travelers of all ages. It may not be ideal for those afraid of heights, but overall, it was a fun and exciting experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Nature Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It's unfortunate that Charlotte is noted as our local specialist, since she most certainly was not. Our trip was booked through an initial agent, Sergio, and once we had paid for the tour he immediately disappeared. We were directed to Charlotte who was unresponsive and difficult to get details from. After repeated requests, she finally assigned our file to a new rep, Wilman, who was very helpful in sorting out the many details of our trip. As we worked through it, it became clear that much of what we were sold did not line up clearly with the operational details required to make it work. Working 1:1 with Wilman we were able to sort it out and the trip was enjoyable and relatively seamless for our family, but it wasn't without significant effort and an exceptional amount of back and forth to ensure that the trip was in order. We credit Wilman with saving this trip for us, and aren't sure of the role which Charlotte played.

Hotel Reviews

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Good option near the airport. There was also a grocery store and a handful of restaurants to walk to nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Congo Bongo EcoVillage Costa Rica

Manzanillo, Limon

This was a unique property, though a little more rustic than we'd imagined. A number of the reviews note that this is more of a 'glamping property' which felt accurate. The rooms were creatively designed, and very open to the elements. As such, it was hard for them to feel (or be) clean. The kitchenwares were often freshly covered with animal feces and the bedroom area was always damp feeling, particularly at night. The walk to the beach was long, but well marked. And from there it was an easy walk to the town of Manzanillo. The staff at the property were very willing to assist and acomodate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maquenque Eco Lodge

Boca Tapada

This was a unique and interesting property and we really enjoyed our stay. The property is full of amazing wildlife, and the staff were friendly and accomodating. The accomodations were clean and inviting and we loved the feeling of sleeping in the treetops with the animals. The one drawback here was the remoteness of some of the treehouses. We had 4 across our large group, and the distance between them was significant. Walking back to the rooms at night alone was a little unnerving given the animals we'd seen roaming the property earlier in the day! Would highly recommend Maquenque lodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Boca Tapada to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca with En-route Rafting on the Sarapiquí River

Costa Rica

Our rafting tour was a highlight on our trip! The group of guides were phenomenal in engaging our full group and making our participants of all different levels feel confident and safe out on the water. We had a great time and would highly recommend this to others. The lunch following the rafting was great too!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boca Tapada Night Tour

Boca Tapada

This was a great experience with a good guide. We enjoyed the tour and saw a number of interesting frogs, birds, snakes and other creatures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Carlos River Boat Tour

Boca Tapada

we enjoyed abut 50% of this tour. Our guide was excellent, and the driver had a sharp eye for finding animals by the shoreline. Outside of that, the tour got a little long and boring. And on the way back, the guide was on his phone and we weren't able to stop for animal spottings, which made it a bit of a lackluster end to what was an otherwise decent tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Kayak in Tres Amigos River

Boca Tapada

This was a great trip, though longer than our group was prepared for. The guides were very good and pointed out notable sights and animals as we passed them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birdwatching Tour in Maquenque

Boca Tapada

This activity was a bit underwhelming. It was planned as a very early morning after a very long travel day. By the time we got going, there wasn't as much to see. We did see a Tapir which was awesome, but the birds and guide weren't otherwise noteworthy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am not able to comment on the planning, as it was not part of my role with the trip.

Robert is an exceptional guide, who is knowledgeable about the history of Croatia and the area of Zagreb. He continuously checked in with me and my colleague to ensure that it was the best experience for Mohawk College students. He always had an alternative plan in case of weather etc. By the end of the second day, he knew everyone's name and remembered things about each individual in the party. Based on feedback from the students, this was important to them. He was inclusive and wanted to make sure the experiences aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. By the end of the trip, we were having sing-alongs, telling jokes, etc. which is what the students remember. It is about relationship development.

Hotel Review

Hotel Dubrovnik

Zagreb

Hotel Dubrovnik, Zagreb is in a central location to enjoy all that Zagreb has to offer, bakeries, markets, shopping, history. The dining room was spotless and the food was delicious. The rooms were clean and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb - Departure

Zagreb

We were picked up early and in plenty of time to go through security at the airport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Rijeka

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zagreb- Ljubljana- Bled - Zagreb

Zagreb

We did not go to this venue. Instead, Robert took us to an Art Museum and afterward an authentic experience at a rural restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day in ZAGREB- University visit

Zagreb

This component of the trip was self-organized, however, Robert and his team provided exceptional transportation services.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trakošćan Castle and City of Varaždin

Zagreb

Our first full day was a visit to Varazdin and Trakoscan Castle. The history of both venues was important for the students to experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Croatia

Robert picked the perfect day to visit Plitivice. The students were enthralled and amazed. National parks are an important part of most countries and preserving these areas is important for climate change and the environment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zagreb City tour

Croatia

Robert shared the history of Croatia before we departed on the tour. While on the tour, he integrated the history with the specific locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zagreb - Arrival

Zagreb

We were picked up from the airport on time and delivered safely to the hotel. Check in was easy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When choosing someone you don’t know personally there is always a danger. Will they do the planning correctly will the person be there to pick us up will the hotels and trips be booked. We changed our minds many times and Dhanuska was also very accommodating and fast to respond to our requests.

As promised our driver Malinda was waiting for us at 11:30pm to pick us up and drive us for 3 hours to our first hotel.

Everything that we had been promised was delivered. The food was amazing the hotels great and our driver Malinda just a joy. He drove us with care and professionalism and knew his country so well.

Would I recommend Dhanushka to anyone else. In a heart beat. During the tour we had messages from him as well as phone calls. He exuded professionalism.

We had such a wonderful time that we are already planning when we might go to Sri Lanka again and we will definitely use Dhanushka to plan our itinerary and request Malinda as our driver.

A big thank you to kimkim site for bringing together professional travel agents. I will certainly use the site again when travelling to any country in the world.

Activity Reviews

Tour a Sri Lankan Tea Plantation

Sri Lanka

We were taken to a small plantation and factory. It was fascinating and we got to try about 15 different types of tea. We also purchased a lot of great quality tea.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Nuwara Eliya

Sri Lanka

Unfortunately the weather conspired against us on the day but it was still a wonderful hike even though the last 1km was really hard work.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sri Lanka

We enjoyed the experience make sure you take a guide and a guided assistant it will be very helpful. This climb is not for the faint here but it gives the most amazing views during the climb and when you reach the top. Make sure you include a trip to the elephant national park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helped us climb and were very knowledgeable about the site.

Transport

We booked our own driver who was amazing

It was spectacular from start to finish with meticulous planning and excellent recommendations. We particularly enjoyed our stay at Villa Tony in Corvara, which has a warm, friendly feel. I don’t know the Ladin word, but it is Gemütlichkeit in German. The dining room staff was wonderful and the food, amazing.
Experiencing the skiing, including the Sellaronda and the Hut food is something you can not find in the US. Well worth the trip.

Although we only had 1 day in Venice, our guide Daniela made the most of it and it was such a treat to have such a knowledgeable local guide navigating us through the canals, alleys and history of Venice.

Most of all, we must thank Martina for planning such a spectacular trip and being there every step of the way on the rare occasion we needed help. Thank you! Having this type of well planned and thoughtful excursions made the trip hassle free from start to finish. Surrender your planning to Kimkim, you will be happy!!

We were so impressed with everything Martina lined up for our trip. Staying at Villa Tony in Corvara was the perfect accommodations! The slopeside hotel with gourmet meals in a warm and inviting small chalet was perfect. The friendly and professional staff such a treat. All of our connections were flawless and eliminated so much stress when traveling. So thankful and appreciative for Kim Kim‘s help.

My wife and I just returned from a 9-10 day tour of Columbia. The tour was quite ambitious as we visited Bogota (one full day), Amazonia (2 full days), the Coffee region (3 full days), and even a quick one night stopover in Cartagena (one day). This involved a lot of flights as all flights connect through Bogota. So it was quite tiring and rather head spinning. The good thing though was that we got to see an amazing diversity of peoples and places in one tour.
What we saw of Bogota, on an e-bike tour!, we found to be both beautiful and interesting, and Monserrate and the views of Bogota from it, were amazing (but buy a pass that gets you to the head of the line if you can).
Amazonia was, for us the greatest highlight of the tour. We found it, as lovers of wild life, birds, and peoples/cultures with dignity, a simply charming, magical place. We were based out of Punto Nariño, and travelled everywhere by small boat, except on our return trip to Leticia on a river "bus". Every boat trip was a guided natural history adventure, stopping to see the dolphins at Leticia, and on both banks of the river to photograph birds, monkeys, or to have some other curiosity pointed out. We navigated lakes with water lily pads and flooded forests. We visited two different indigenous communities and a monkey rehabilitation sanctuary, and photographed humming birds, Macaws and Toucans, birds hiding in the trees or in flocks, and butterflies. I did a night walk in the rain forest and photographed frogs and sleeping morpho butterflies. We visited a indigenous cultures museum and shopped for unique crafts in Leticia.
We also loved the Coffee Region. This is a mountainous or hilly, moderate temperature, rain forest region with coffee, fruit orchards, avocados, etc., as well as national forest. It is beautiful and the climate is very pleasant when we visited (February). We visited a beautiful hillside farm, where we were shown a fabulous orchid collection and treated to a delicious lunch, and the farmhouse, where we watched many colorful birds and humming bird feed. We visited two very beautiful rural towns, Filandia and Salento, where we visited a basketry workshop/studio and were taught by a craftsman to weave small baskets. We stayed in a charming hotel at a farm in a national park in the Corcora valley and did an early morning birding exploration in the hills. And we visited a botanical garden, where we learned about the local ecology, with a large enclosed butterfly habitat where we could view native butterflies up close. Our last night was spent in Cartagena, in a fabulous hotel just adjacent to the old city. This is also very beautiful, historical, with a lot of shopping and fine dining, quite different from our previous experiences. (We didn't have time to investigate the beaches, but not our thing anyway.)
In almost all of our adventures we were accompanied by a driver and a guide. We have very little Spanish, but the guides spoke English, and all were super knowledgeable about birds and could identify them by their calls and spot them in the trees, as well as being knowledgeable about the local cultures and history. Though it is hard to single any out, Sergio Leones in Amazonia and Juan Camilo in the Coffee Region were truly outstanding, and we learned so much from them. But even the drivers seemed to have a great knowledge of their natural history and be able to spot the birds. Our small boat trip from Leticia to Punto Nariño to Leticia on our day of arrival was a fascinating adventure as our Spanish-only speaking boat driver made many stops to point out birds and other things along the way and we had a great time trying to communicate in hand waving, my tiny amount of Spanish, and an iPhone app.
Our accommodations were outstanding, although in Amazonia they were, as you would expect, a little less refined. All were beautiful and full of character. Particularly of note were Sazagua (in Pereira) and Sazagua Boutique (in Corcora), being beautiful and having great food, and our hotel in Cartagena.
Indeed, everywhere we went, the food was outstanding, and, as you would expect given our itinerary, of a great variety.
Did we feel safe in Colombia? Yes, certainly anywhere we went we had no concerns at all (although we were with guides most of the time). Indeed I found the Columbians we met to most generous, and, especially, to be extremely pleased to be able to share their beautiful country with us, along with its natural wonders.
Would we go back again? - YES. But, probably with a more relaxed schedule, doubling down on the things we liked the most, and with some new twist.
Last, but not least, many thanks to Margarita, our Kim-Kim local specialist, who suggested the itinerary, modified to our satisfaction, worked out all the details, hired the guides, made all the bookings, watched out for us throughput the trip, and was a model of efficiency and courtesy.

Ashley was incredibly helpful and responsive - especially about our accommodations. The highlight of our trip was our stay at Anantara Golden Triangle. We had gorgeous views of Myanmar and Laos from our window, with the hotels elephants roaming free in the foreground. The staff there was superb, and they - and the elephants - are clearly treated very well. Spending time with the elephants, both as part of the Walking with Giants" tour and spending a night in the jungle bubble, with the elephants just steps away, felt once-in-a-lifetime. Ans while Phuket seems overrun with tourists, our hotel there, the Shore at Katathani, was super luxurious. Climbing out of bed and into our privite infinity pool overlooking the Andaman Sea (in our room!) made for a memorable honeymoon. The guides in each location were friendly and helpful too, especially Ron in Bangkok and Pui in Phuket. Don't miss ziplining through the jungle at Flying Hanuman in Phuket.

All I can say is this trip was PERFECT! It's the first time I have planned a trip using a travel service. Holden with Serendipity Adventures did an amazing job planning a trip that was everything we could have asked for and more. Our hotels, transportation, guides and adventures were just perfect for us. Everything went just as planned. Loved having a contact available 24hr a day if anything came up we needed. Wilman was that man in command. Nancy was top class in getting us all the information we needed to make this dream trip come true. We spend our 40-year Anniversary Day with a private guide Andres from Forest Alive in Monteverde Cloud Forest. He was so knowledgeable and just plain fun. We saw more animal & bird than I dreamed possible. After our hike we had a romantic dinner at San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience. It was a dinner we will never forget high above the jungle watching the sunset. Thank you everyone at Serendipity Adventures for making this special time in our lives complete.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Luna Hotel & Spa

La Fortuna

The location is great, and hotel was clean and comfortable. The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of 5 is it was a bit noisy. Lots of big families with lots of children that did as they pleased. The pool was full of children splashing and being loud. I know this isn't the fault of the hotel, but it does affect our experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alma Del Pacifico Beach Hotel & Spa

Esterillos Este

We really liked that the rooms were all private large bungalows. Had plenty of private garden space outside to enjoy. The pools were enjoyable. The beach is right there for you to enjoy with hammocks and Adirondack chairs in the palm trees. Amazing sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Monteverde

This is a beautiful hotel in a great location. Good size rooms with a balcony to watch the sunset. The food was outstanding. We enjoyed swimming and relaxing poolside after our days adventure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manatus Hotel

Tortuguero

We loved Manatus Hotel. This room are good size and very comfortable. Liked that it isn't a huge place, so you get personal service with a smile. All meals are included (which were tasty) as no roads in or out. Only can get there by boat which is half the fun. On the boat safari our guide were experts at finding interesting reptiles, animals and flora for us to look at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

No big crowds of people here.

Staff

Friendly and Personable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding to Nauyaca Waterfalls

Costa Rica

We spent our last day in Costa Rica doing my two favorite things. Riding horse and swimming in a waterfall. It was a blast. The horses are well cared for. The guides make sure everyone is safe and happy. Spend plenty of time to enjoy the waterfall. Stopped halfway back to enjoy a nice lunch. Super fun day! If you are in the area this is a must do.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetop Dining Experience

Monteverde

Had our 40-year Wedding Anniversary dinner in the treetop dining experience. What a way to celebrate our anniversary above the treetops watching the sunset. We will always remember this culinary adventure. Food and service was beyond excellent.

Quality of Experience

Food

All I can say is EXCELLENT

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to San Carlos Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Lovely hot springs with several different temperature pools. Drinks served at the different hot springs. Dinner had lots of choice and was tasty.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Andres from Forest Alive was knowledgeable and just plain fun. He timed our hike so there wasn't tons of people. We didn't get 1/4 of a mile into our hike and we saw Quetzol birds, a mother hummingbird feeding her chicks, a viper snake, and bats. We went to a lovey waterfall and enjoyed the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have to give a huge thanks to Hanna and the KimKim team for planning an amazing winter trip to Iceland for our 30th wedding anniversary. I had a wonderful conversation with Hanna about what our goals were, comfort level and needs were and she delivered. We wanted to cover as much of Iceland as we could in our 8 day stay and still have time to enjoy each stop. She created a well thought out itinerary along with suggestions for other attractions along the way. We stayed at four different hotels on a self guided trip and every one was just perfect for us. We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on our second night. Iceland is the most beautiful country that we have ever visited. We plan on going back to experience a different season of the year. Hanna was friendly, very responsive and a joy to work with. I will definitely be using KimKim to plan more vacations.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

We did not go to the Blue Lagoon as it was closed from the February 8th eruption. We went Sky Lagoon instead and absolutely loved it!

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

We used Blue Cave Adventure and our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and an absolute joy to have. The caves were incredible to see and should be a must on your list of things to do. Our guide gave us plenty of time to get our photos.

Quality of Experience

We were with a friendly group of people and to walk on the glacier and to see how beautiful the caves were are something that I will not soon forget!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was our guide and she was so polite and friendly and shared wonderful knowledge and stories with us. She was well prepared and always made sure that we were properly prepared and safe.

Transport

The meeting point was in the parking lot of Glacier Lagoon which was very convenient. The vehicle that took us to the caves was designed to handle the very rough conditions of the trails to get you to the caves. The also provided helmets with headlamps and crampons.

All of our tours and guides were amazing!!

Activity Reviews

Half day Snorkeling at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley from Caribe Resort

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse Backriding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Arctic circle was spectacular, and Moonika deserves all the stars for planning it. It was a perfect trip for our family - tons of adventure and activities, and perfectly arranged. We went dog sledding, visited a reindeer farm, nighttime snowshoeing and snowmobiling, boating through the fjords, and trips to chase the aurora borealis, which we finally saw from a catamaran! Every guide was amazing and each of the companies she chose for our activities were phenomenal. Every piece of the tour was smooth - our transfers were seamless and hotels were great. I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience, and highly recommend visiting Lapland, and planning your trip with Kimkim and Moonika in particular.

Activity Reviews

Polar Fjord Cruise With a Yacht

Tromsø

The yacht was comfortable, the views were amazing, and the upgrade to the polar plunge experience was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Sailing with Catamaran

Tromsø

The crew was wonderful and the food provided was tasty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sámi Culture and Reindeer Herding Tour

Kilpisjärvi

This was an amazing experience. The owner Mia made sure that my kids got to help feed the reindeer, and then took us on a tour of the beautiful property

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ice Fishing Experience

Finland

The guides were very nice and made sure we had an enjoyable experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowmobile Tour

Finland

The guides were so kind and helpful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Snowshoeing Tour

Finland

Our guide was really knowledgable and a lot of fun, too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Lappish Dinner

Finland

Great guides, beautiful trip, DELICIOUS dinner

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chasing the Northern Lights

Kilpisjärvi

It was cloudy, but our guide tried!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Korouoma Canyon & Frozen Waterfalls Adventure

Finland

Beautiful scenery, and our guide was knowledgeable and friendly

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Ice Floating

Finland

This was a super cool nighttime activity. I had never heard of it, but Moonika chose it for us, and we all loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

SnowHotel & Ice Dinner Experience

Rovaniemi

Very cool dinner and amazing ice sculptures

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Husky Safari

Finland

We loved the doggies!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki City Walking Tour (2h)

Helsinki

Keito was an amazing guide, and did a great job showing us Helsinki

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently got back from a 2 week trip to Guatemala. This was my second time using KimKim to help plan a trip and I honestly feel like I will use them for all my future international trips. Eduardo was our Local Expert and he and I chatted on the KimKim platform for months planning the trip. There were several activities and places I wanted to go on the trip and based on what my partner and I like to do and the specifics that I discussed with Eduardo, he recommended several additional activities/tours that we enjoyed immensely. When I wanted to add a trip to Altamira and Hobbitenango he helped figure that out. He was very responsive overall. He also took care of the domestic flight that we took to/from Flores. The hotels he selected (based on our style/preference) were all fine. I enjoyed the Tikal Jungle lodge and both tours we did of ruins (Tikal and Yaxha) were wonderful. We learned a lot from Oliverio, our guide. He was pleasant and knowledgeable. He took us to an animal sanctuary place when we were in Flores and that was unexpected and cool. Overall, I wish we'd stayed one more day at the Tikal Lodge and been able to do another day at Tikal. By far the best place we stayed was Casa Del Mundo at Lake Atitlan. I remain incredibly blown away by that place. We could have spent half a day or more just exploring all the nooks and crannies at that place and it was just incredibly beautiful. I am so glad we stayed there. Unfortunately, my partner got food poisoning at one of the "regular" lunch places in Pana and that had later ramifications for our trip. While he was recovering at Casa Del Mundo (there are far worse places to be sick for sure), I was able to go kayaking and hiking with our guide, Willy. We thoroughly enjoyed Willy. He was with us from our pick up at GC after Flores until we went on the Acatenango Double Fuego trek. We wish Willy had been with us for that too. He was our favorite guide by a long margin; we were also with him the longest so that's not entirely surprising. He was down to earth and humble and very fun to be around. We had a great time with him at the Lake, hiking the Mayan Nose, seeing various villages around the lake etc. We also had a local guide, Joel, for the Mayan Nose hike and village visiting day. Joel was fantastic, a young man with a good heart and really good energy. I ended up hiking with him and my partner with Willy that day. We also made a change to our Lake Atitlan itinerary on short notice, opting to go to La Reserva Natural near Pana rather than go to the big Chichicastenango market. After the long drive from GC to Pana, we just weren't at all interested in another drive, even a shorter one. So we changed that entire day. I'm very glad we did, La Reserva was so fun, we did an awesome "ultra" ziplines which were great (I only wish they had had someone taking photos/videos b/c I would definitely have purchased some). And the butterfly area was for me, totally worth the price of admission. I could have stayed at that place for hours. Loved it. In retrospect, I might have stayed an additional day at the Lake so I could visit more of the villages and also just to stay another day at Casa Del Mundo. Lake Atitlan is definitely one of the most beautiful places i've visited. I would absolutely go back there. Then we headed to Antigua (again, with Willy). With our first day with Willy in Antigua, we did the Valley Ride Biking tour which was totally fun and worth it. We visited a chocolate factory, macademia nut farm and a jade jewelry making place. and we saw a lot of little villages and churches. B/c of the food poisoning, I was worried that my partner wouldn't be recovered enough to do the volcano hiking so I contacted eduardo and he was able to help with all that. B/c we had Eduardo and b/c we had booked a private hiking tour, we were able to change the date we left for the trek. Eduardo make all of those changes for us with the guides and also helped secure our hotel room b/c of the change. Later, we also ended up adding a day to our trip and Eduardo, again, was super helpful in securing our hotel room for that. So before the trek we ended up going up to Altamira and Hobbitenango. I thoroughly enjoyed both of those places. The creative photo ops and surrounding beauty, views of the volcanoes. Just a really fun day overall. We ate lunch at Hobbitenango and it was excellent. We also did the bike zip lines at Altamira which were terrifying but so fun at the same time. The trek itself was amazing. Our guide, David, was good. He was nice, encouraging and attentive but again, he wasn't Willy. We have done a lot of hiking and I rated the Double Fuego trek as maybe a 7 on the difficulty scale. One of the most challenging parts of the hike is the footing. Hiking on a volcano is like hiking up sand/gravel. The traction was nil. it was incredibly slow going. BUT totally worth it. I was pretty tired by the 2nd day on the trek and wasn't sure if I would make the additional trek over to Fuego but I am REALLY glad that I did. the views at the base camp, views at fuego and sunrise on Acatenango were all extraordinary. Just a really cool, but challenging experience for sure. I was very happy when we were off the volcano and headed back to Antigua. On our additional day in Antigua, my partner and I visited a ton of the ruins throughout the city and we got to see an interesting religious procession (the first sunday after Ash Wednesday) throughout the city. Our hotel in Antigua (Meson de Maria) I have somewhat mixed views on. The beds were comfortable and the hotel interior is beautiful. I enjoyed the views from the upper terrace. There was one person there that was particularly friendly and helpful. The others, not so much. They weren't mean or anything, but not particularly welcoming or friendly which is very unlike all the other places I've travelled in S. America. The breakfast was not great either which was disappointing. The rooms were quite small. That said, they helped get our laundry done one day while we were out and about and I loved the location. They also accommodated our schedule changes and we were able to stay at the same place, just in different rooms, which made things easier.
I got interested in Guatemala b/c I wanted to hike volcanoes. But was really happy with the entire trip. It is more Americanized than places we've gone in S. Am (Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentina) but that was okay with me. I had no interest in Guatemala City and glad we didn't spend any time there. For me, using KimKim is so worth it; as is booking private tours b/c it allows you to change your schedule with ease which we did twice. I should add that we mostly had one driver, Ivan, and he was SO AWESOME. he was super friendly and a GREAT driver. he ruled. Thank you so much Eduardo for all your help with this trip. You were great to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Meson de Maria

Antigua Guatemala

Rooms very small, breakfast not great. One very friendly and helpful employee; others weren't unfriendly but did not go out of their way to be helpful/friendly/welcoming. Thank goodness they had a small floor fan or else I would have been very warm at night. Interior is beautiful, upstairs roof terrace very nice. Good location but area was very loud on weekends.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Mundo

Lake Atitlán

literally one of the best and most beautiful hotels I've stayed at or seen anywhere

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Amelia

flores

breakfast was good, but no included with rate. good location. nothing spectacular but nothing to complain about either

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

no complaints about this place at all. Breakfast good. howler monkeys, LOUD :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

super location for a tour of Tikal Ruins

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hobbitenango/Altamira Visits

Antigua

Hobbitenango was nice, but Altamira was the highlight of the visit. It was so much fun to be there, and there were plenty of photo spots!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hike Acatenango Volcano & Camp Overnight

Guatemala

Loved this experience! We opted for 2-night in the camp on the volcano, and I would recommend it because you have much more time to enjoy the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a fantastic week in Jordan, thanks to our local specialist Samir and our driver and guide, Mohammad - the schedule was perfect and everything seamless, we couldn't have asked for anything to be better.

Jordan itself was as incredible as we had hoped, and Petra is one of those very special places, like the Taj Mahal that brings a tear to the eye when you see it for the first time.

We were nervous about the situation on the ground travelling at the time of conflict in the region but quickly realised this was a misapprehension on our part.

We would definitely recommend visiting Jordan and using Kimkim!

Our trip was a global learning experience for ten college students and two faculty. This meant we were not just seeing the sights, but had to learn about social, economic, cultural and environmental issues.
Robi was an amazing guide because of his knowledge, enthusiasm and energy for guiding and for Croatia. He was flexible regarding our needs and was able to give us the most amazing experience by connecting with other local guides and curators. When we had to adjust due to weather and border issues, he was able to provide alternatives that seemed like they had always been part of the plan. His stories and jokes made the time on the road go quickly. Since we wanted Zagreb to be our home base for the entire trip, Robi took us to corners of the area not usually seen in the typical Croatian tour. This gave our students a real flavour of Croatian life in the villages, farms and cities.
We feel that Robi (and Mario) gave us everything we wanted and more. Most impressive was how Robi connected with each student on the first day by remembering their names and the programs they were in. He made them feel cared for and we definitely saw growth as they eagerly asked questions, engaged with events and took millions of pictures.
This was a trip they will never forget because it fulfilled our school's agenda while being customized to the needs of our students -- many of whom have never travelled before.
The local guides that Robi contacted were also ideal for our student group and knew what would interest them and fulfill their needs.
We want to do this again, and we would not do it without Robi.

Hotel Review

Hotel Dubrovnik

Zagreb

Central location to restaurants, shops, cultural buildings/events. Tram is right next to the hotel. Wonderful and friendly staff. Terrific breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb - Departure

Zagreb

Smooth which is the key word for departures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trakošćan Castle and City of Varaždin

Zagreb

A pleasant surprise, even for the guide. Not on the usually path, but we wanted to go there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Rijeka

Croatia

Local guide - Dunnja -- was amazing, friendly, fun.

Quality of Experience

Amazing city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, fun and knew where to take our students .

Transport

Day in ZAGREB- University visit

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Croatia

Amazing even in the winter.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Changed our date to the park due to weather and that was a great decision by Robi.

Transport

COmfortable and fun

Zagreb City tour

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and gave a wonderful overview for individual walks later

Transport

Zagreb - Arrival

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zagreb- Ljubljana- Bled - Zagreb

Zagreb

Didn't go because of changes to Visas required to get across the border.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport