Kimkim Trip Reviews

I e-mailed and spoke with Linda to have a fabulous trip of 12 days. After 2 days on our own Milton Chiqui Lopez took us to sites around Quito-highlighted by the weird effects at the equator-we visited the charming mountain of Baños in the high Andes. The 4 hour drive each way was scenic.
The trip ended with a trip into the deep Amazon rainforest to the extraordinary La Selva lodge Biden by a lake. Ore guide Dan Hicks was a 16 year veteran from England. Four days of walks and canoe rides to explore both flora and fauna. F
Innovative Euro-American cuisine that was 5 star. Luxurious accommodations high in the jungle.All rides to airports were smooth, courtesy of Alejandro & son
It was perfect.

Hotel Reviews

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat

Yasuní National Park

An extraordinary luxurious lodge with 5 star 3 meals daily. Great hiking and boat rides A beautiful setting on a going size lake

Authenticity & Character

A true resort deep in the wilderness.

Location

In the rainforest.

Staff

All 28 employees spoke excellent English and went out of their way to be helpful. Wait staff had the polish of a 5 star restaurant All 28 staff spoke excellent English. They went out of their way to be helpful. The wait staff worked as a team and had the professionalism of a 5 star place.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Immaculate

Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa

Baños

A small very charming hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In pleasant neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Plazas

Quito

No heat in 49F weather. Breakfast just ok. Some spoke no English.

Authenticity & Character

Small and quaint

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Scenic 2hour ride on rivet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Observation Tower, Garza Cocha Lake & Night Walk

Yasuni National Park

All fascinating exploration of Amazon and its flora & fauna

Quality of Experience

As abkve

Food

Activities in Baños & Return to Quito

Ecuador

Just tour of the Andes

Quality of Experience

Food

Very giid

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Baños

Ecuador

Grest visit to the stunning Andes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

Interesting although 200 meters off equator

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guides and perfect transfer services

Transport

This was a very last-minute trip. Our Travel Specialist, Moonika, showed her expertise and savvy in promptly providing an itinerary of travel, accommodations, and outdoor winter activities available during Rovaniemi's high season that had everything we wanted - plus a few things we didn't know we wanted! Our time in Helsinki was also fascinating, and the day trip to Tallin, Estonia was fantastic. While we were on the trip, Moonika stayed in touch and was especially helpful in contacting a snowmobile tour company to help retrieve a lost phone! You could tell she was poised and ready to go above and beyond to assure we had an unforgettable Nordic vacation, which is truly what we experienced.

Our family has travelled to more than 30 countries and all seven continents. We have used various travel agents for trips to Africa, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

I can say without hesitation that Kimkim is the best travel agency, and our local specialist Sandy is the best individual travel agent, that we have ever worked with.

The planning process with Sandy was easy, transparent, efficient and informative. We went back and forth several times as we narrowed down our itinerary, chose our hotels and selected our experiences. Sandy always had great options, common sense suggestions and creative ideas. Every time I had a question or a message for Sandy, I would have a direct and helpful answer from her the very next day. And, importantly, she always respected our budget. We never felt rushed, manipulated or "up sold" on anything.

Our Kyoto guide Sunny was delightful. A longtime guide, his love for Japan showed through at all times. He was very easy to be with -- always going out of his way to find just the right snack or restaurant, shortcut or camera angle.

Or Hiroshima guide, Yuji was terrific. During Covid, he created a series of illustrated notebooks that cover every possible aspect of Japan's history, geography, culture and traditions. I think I learned more about Japan while reading his notebooks than at any other moment on the trip. Yuji also plays the flute and gave us an extraordinary sample of his musical talents while we walked through a beautiful forest on Miyajima island -- it was a totally magical and unexpected moment for us.

Yoshi, our Tokyo guide, was equally excellent. He took us across Tokyo on various subway and commuter lines -- covering more sights and attractions more immersively than we could have imagined. His choice of sushi lunch restaurant was absolutely perfect -- some of the best sushi I have ever had in my life. After just one day with him, we were sorry to say goodbye.

Finally, Ryoji, our guide for a night time food tour of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, was absolutely amazing. Over the course of four hours, he took us to five different eating establishments, down narrow alleyways, along wide boulevards and through crowded neon-lit intersections. This was probably my favorite single experience on the trip.

Unfortunately, while in Tokyo, we had an unexpected health situation (totally unrelated to our activities or Kimkim's planning) that required us to cut short our trip and return home. In these difficult moments, Sandy was unbelievably supportive and helpful. She helped us make immediate and urgent changes to our plans, was available 24/7, and helped us get refunds on the activities that we could not do. Her constant availability, encouragement, and support helped us get through a difficult moment which required difficult choices and stressful adjustments to the trip.

Even weeks after our trip, Sandy was still engaged with us, helping wrap up final details and offering encouragement.

In summary, I highly recommend Kimkim, Sandy and our local guides. They really are the best travel professionals we have ever worked with.

We will definitely use Kimkim for our next trip.

If your experience is half as good as our experience was, you won't be disappointed!!

Activity Review

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

This was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend this. The highlight of our Tokyo visit!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryoji was excellent! Ask for him!!

Transport

Our family of four (parents and two adult sons) had an amazing trip to Cambodia thanks to Steve and his team. While we have traveled in Asia before, this was our first time in Cambodia and Steve was enormously helpful in crafting a trip that worked for our family and gave us an incredible introduction to the culture, history and beauty of Cambodia. We will definitely be back! We began with 3 days in Siem Reap where our guide Ms. Sokin shared her in-depth knowledge of the beautiful temples of Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom & Banteay Srei. We enjoyed the traditional Apsara dancing one night and had delicious meals there and at Haven restaurant. Having a guide and driver from the moment we landed at the airport made the trip so much easier. We traveled by boat to Battambang, which was a long trip (@7 hours) but definitely worthwhile as we saw the floating villages and beautiful countryside along the way, and the boat was comfortable and a fun experience in itself. We stayed 3 days in Battambang with Ms. Sokin continuing as our guide - highlights included making lunch with the locals, where we harvested local ingredients and prepared delicious local cuisine as well as the bike tour, where we toured a number of local home-industries. Also the bamboo train was a fun experience and the visit to Phnom Sampeau for sunset should not be missed. We then traveled by car to Phnom Penh, stopping along the way to visit a pottery maker and the market, where we tried some local delicacies (some of us more adventurous than others!). We spent 3 days in Phnom Penh. Our guide there Ms. Sreyhouch led us through the beautiful central market, where you can get anything from fresh food to housewares to jewelry. We also visited the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, important to understanding the history of the Khmer people. All-in-all, our trip was amazing (but slightly exhausting) - the hotels were all comfortable and accomodating, and we felt that we were really able to see the local experience (particularly in Battambang). The knowledge and support of our guides and driver deepened our experience, allowing us to focus on the experience rather than worrying about whether we were missing something or how we were going to get to the next place. We would highly recommend Steve and his team!

Hotel Reviews

Palace Gate Hotel & Resort

Phnom Penh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maisons Wat Kor

Battambang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Aviary Hotel

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bamboo train ride

Battambang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

HAVEN Restaurant

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angkor Wat morning visit

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional dance performance and dinner

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angkor Thom (afternoon) by remork (tuk tuk)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My review is related to the value of the trip. It would have been fine if we were on one of those $2500 per person trips. We paid almost $7,000 per person and for that amount it was disappointing. Guides were really poor. Took the minimum time to explain things and then left us in our own. We had to discreetly join other groups to learn more than the basics. Hotels were ok with one terrible exception (Tolip in Aswan was really awful).

As far as I can tell KimKim doesn’t do anything except contract with lessor know agencies in each country. You would be better off working directly with the known agency.

Overall the trip was good. We had some issues with air travel within NZ and the respective taxi booking. What was given in the trip itinerary and the actual airline bookings were completely different. in one case we missed the flight because of this discrepancy and had to pay to for change and in another we had to arrange for our own taxi. We are expecting a refund on both. We had notified Olivia in NZ about the same and I believe the same communication has been shared with Liz in the US. I have not had anyone reach out to me about these issues. Look forward to hearing from you on the same

I have many positive things to say about Kim Kim and some questions about the costs of the trip. Sebastian was very responsive and helped us when we needed it. This was especially true about getting in to our hotel early. It was nice that he was from France and knew Paris. In the beginning he sent several possible trip options. It seemed that the these options were not really what we had in mind. Our primary reason for going to Paris was to see the Mark Rothko show. Sebastian recommended many other types of activities and we were not interested in them. We like to wander around Paris on our own without many tours. I can imagine that this was frustrating for Sebastian. I wonder if somehow that could have been more clearly stated. I had a friend who contacted Kim Kim recently wanting a trip to Paris. She wanted to wander around without many tours and was told by Kim Kim that it wasn't the type of trip Kim Kim planned.
When I inquired about the price break down I was given a vague response, they said they don't give the actual prices. When I look at the cost and what we actually used from Kim Kim its hard for me to reconcile. Kim Kim provided the cost of the hotel, transportation to and from the airport and tickets to 2 events .I am happy to pay for the all that Sebastian did and yet the price seems very high. The cost differential ( to the best of our abilities) was a several thousand dollars higher. If there is a representative from Kim Kim who would like to discuss tis further, please feel free to contact us.

Hotel Review

My Maison in Paris - Louvre

Paris

This place was great. The location was accessible to many things and the staff was helpful. The place was clesan and had all that we needed. Many conveniences are in the neighborhood. Would highly recommend?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exhibition at the Louis Vuitton fondation

Paris

This exhibit was amazing. Having a ticket was important. We provided our own transportation both ways.

Quality of Experience

Covered Passageways of Paris

Paris

This tour was long and heavy on the ancient history of Paris.

We had a wonderful time in winter Vienna. Clemens was thoughtful and conscientious in his planning and communication. We particularly loved the concerts and the Kunst museum/Shoenbrunn palace. The wine tasting that Clemens arranged was outstanding. Our guides Christina and Andreas were fantastic. Clemens had all out tickets ready and waiting wherever we arrived. The highlight was our hotel-the Sans Souci was outstanding. The accommodations, staff and cozy hotel bar was the highlight of the trip. The fact that there is a grocery store right next door was a gift!
We were not too fond of the restaurant we went to for the authentic Vienna meal and there was too much time allotted for it (3 hours and we were done in 45 min and there was no explanation as to what anything was..A few tips-you are better off taking ubers around the city instead of the arranged transfers/pick ups. We had to wait a lot, once we dropped off at the wrong place,then dropped 1/4 mile away from the entrance and has to walk in the dark. The concert had just started when we got there and it was very stressful. Also many of the arranged rides had drivers who were smokers and their vehicles reeked of smoke.The Uber would give you flexibility to come and go on your own terms and they were plentiful. Next time we do more museums!

Hotel Review

Hotel Sans Souci Wien

Vienna

This hotel was outstanding! The accommodations, the staff, the housekeeping and Le Bar were actually the highlight of our trip. The coffee service was delicious and the included breakfast was luxurious. We loved the grocery store right next door-very handy and quite the asset. One of the best hotels I have ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Manuel at the bar was fantastic. His champagne tasting was such a treat. He is so knowledgeable. Nicolas at the front desk was a wealth of knowledge.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Don't stay anywhere else!

Activity Reviews

Culinary Highlight tour through Vienna

Vienna

Andreas was outstanding! He was enjoyable to be with and picked a great place for us to have goulash (we had had enough Weiner schnitzel by then).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring Schönbrunn Palace

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Masterpieces & Mysteries: A Tour Through Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highlights of Vienna: Walking Tour

Vienna

Christina was fantastic. Warm, friendly, knowledgeable and honest about Austrian History.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Absolutely loved our trip to Costa Rica. The planning was fun. We were able to see so much of the country and do all of the activities that were the right fit for our family.

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Stunning views, amazing food, comfortable rooms and friendly staff. It was the perfect location, right in the center of Tamarindo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was right in the center of Tamarindo. Plenty of shopping and dining options. We stayed one night on the beach side, which was a little noisier, and then two nights on the other side of the street. it was very quiet and clean. We heard howler monkeys in the morning which was cool.

Staff

Brenda, our server by the pool was so great. She was very friendly and always seemed to be there when we needed her. Our family joked that our lives would be better if we could just take our girl Brenda home with us..

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. My only complaint would be that there aren’t enough chairs around the big pool. There were literally people scoping them out at 6 AM. My husband and I sat on the concrete the first day while the kids swam.

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Out of our three hotels, this was our least favorite. We drove 3 1/2 hours from La Fortuna to Monteverde. We were tired from being in a cramped car. Our room was ready. Luckily when we got there. When we walked in the room was very small, no dresser or anywhere to put anything, and there was no air-conditioning and it was about 85° in the room. We went back to the front desk, but they had nothing else available. I don’t blame the hotel, but this is definitely, something Kim Kim should have told us. Apparently you can upgrade to a room with air-conditioning. At night time there was a breeze and it was cool so we had no trouble sleeping. We felt uncomfortable after complaining about the room. We kind of felt like all of the employees talked to each other about us, because we were ready to leave after realizing there was no air-conditioning.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very authentic. My husband and I loved walking around the garden. I think if my husband and I came here alone, it would have been a different experience. It was charming and quiet and relaxing.

Location

It was only about a mile from town but to walk there you’re on dusty, curvy roads with not much of a side road.

Staff

The bartender in the indoor pool area was very short with my husband. Never really smiled. We noticed at dinner how friendly the staff was with locals, but different with us. Just kind of felt all around uncomfortable. When we first mentioned that we were not happy with no air-conditioning the lady at the front desk looked at us like we were crazy. She told us that it gets cooler at night and we would be fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely small room. Enough room for two beds. Nowhere to put our suitcases and no dresser to put our clothes. Bathroom was small as well. We were on top of each other in a hot room. Got cool at night though. I do think there are other bigger rooms available upon request. Not sure how our travel agent would think that four of us would be comfortable in that tiny room with no air.

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

This hotel was great! A little hard to find. Tucked away behind another hotel. The room size was good for my husband and I and two teenagers. It was nice and quiet, aside from the birds in the morning:) We slept so well! Each morning, I sat on the patio outside and read my book while watching hummingbirds, and listening to the sounds of nature. Everyone was very friendly. Loved the pool area and the hot springs. The food by the pool was great. We had the nachos. The sushi was also delicious. Would definitely recommend this place to other family’s traveling to Costa Rica. We were very comfortable. The location was really good as well. We were close to La Fortuna, 10 minutes, and close to hanging bridges, which were 10 minutes the other way.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were tucked away in nature. Each room felt very private. Lots of greenery.

Location

It was 10 minutes from La Fortuna. There were lots of Hot Springs and surrounding hotels and the hanging bridges park close by.

Staff

Really only interacted with the ladies by the pool that served us drinks and food. Very friendly. It is definitely more relaxed and you wait a little longer for food but we were in paradise so we were fine with that.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The housekeepers made a little puppy out of our towels, which the kids got a kick out of. Rooms were very clean.

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

This was a very cool experience. The staff was very friendly. They pointed out wildlife on the way. We saw turtles mating on the way out to Catalina Island. we didn’t have much luck at our first two spots because of low visibility. On our third spot, we saw tons of fish: huge snapper, starfish, puffer fish, angel fish, parrot fish, a white tipped reef shark and other schools of fish. Andreas was so knowledgeable. He pointed out all types of fish and told us a little about them. They served cantaloupe and pineapple and they had packaged crackers and cookies. They also had water and iced tea. We were pretty hungry when we got back at 12.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andreas was so great! Very friendly and knowledgeable. Easy to talk to.

Transport

Our Italian drivers was fun! He was relaxed and good spirited. Living pura vida:)

Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

The kids really enjoyed this night hike. We saw all types of animals: beetle, spiders, frogs, humming bird, pygmy frogs and tarantula! I was cool to hear all of the night sounds. Our guide was very knowledgeable, he studied environmental studies in college.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adam was AMAZING. We planned this trip on short notice, knowing nothing about Iceland and relied heavily on Adam and his expertise. To say he excelled would be an understatement. Adam gave us a trip that was exactly what we wanted - the highlights of Iceland and some off the beaten path sights. He planned each day with things that we "needed" to do and listed optional items that we could do if time/energy permitted. He gave us info on each sight and a little of his personal experience/thoughts on the sights were appropriate. We travelled with our 3 kids and had a few requests for our housing options - he took what we said to heart and hit the nail on the head booking us exactly what we wanted and had asked for.

I cannot recommend Adam enough. We had a great trip and that was 100% due to Adams ability to listen to what we wanted, to do the research to find what we wanted and to deliver EXACTLY what we wanted!

Hotel Reviews

Apartments Reykjavik

Reykjavik

Maria is an AMAZING hostess. Place was spotless, well stocked and she was super responsive to any questions we had. Highly recommend staying at any of the locations she has!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of the city!

Staff

Seriously, Maria is the best hostess we have ever had!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had everything we could possibly need as a family of 5

Stracta Apartments Orustustaðir

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Brand new "apartments" next to a nature reserve. The buildings were almost finished (missing little things like one lamp had a shade, the other one didn't, the towel heater in the bathroom had not been installed yet - plumbing was installed, but not the heater, etc) and there was heavy construction equipment all over the place. Once they are finished building this could be a very nice location if you are looking for an out of the way place to stay. Also said they would provide breakfast but did not.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue View Cabin 1A with Hot Tub

Bláskógabyggd

Great cabin with a great view and the hot tub is a nice touch also!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Icelandic Lava Show

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Hunt

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse riding tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dog Sledding

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crystal Blue ice cave tour

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First off, the trip I thought I was booking and what I got were not the same thing. What I actually got was so much better. It was very easy to get set up with kimkim and the trip that Hien put together for me sounded amazing. My husband and I were excited for all of the tour activities we were going to be doing. But it wasn't until after we arrived in Thailand, had transferred to our hotel, and had gone out for our first day's activities that we realized that First off, the trip I thought I was booking and what I got were not the same thing. What I actually got was so much better. It was very easy to get set up with kimkim and the trip that Hien put together for me sounded amazing. My husband and I were excited for all of the tour activities we were going to be doing. But it wasn't until after we arrived in Thailand, had transferred to our hotel, and had gone out for our first day's activities that we realized that we weren't booked to join group tours each day, we were actually getting private tours and we would have a dedicated tour guide and chauffeur for the entire time we were in Bangkok.
Joey was fantastic as our tour guide. He anticipated our comfort, taught us so much about Bangkok and life in Thailand, and we would not have had the same quality of experience on our trip without him. We were delighted by the food he helped us order and the level of service we received at every turn.
Our time in Chiang Mai was shorter but was also excellent. We did have different guides each day because our scheduled guide was ill but her coworkers took excellent care of us.
To end a great trip our days in Phuket were relaxing and full of time spent in the ocean.
We would absolutely recommend kimkim as a platform, Hien from Realistic Asia as a travel agent, and Joey as a local guide. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to our family and friends and we will use them again ourselves. we weren't booked to join group tours each day, we were actually getting private tours and we would have a dedicated tour guide and chauffeur for the entire time we were in Bangkok.
Joey was fantastic as our tour guide. He anticipated our comfort, taught us so much about Bangkok and life in Thailand, and we would not have had the same quality of experience on our trip without him. We were delighted by the food he helped us order and the level of service we received at every turn.
Our time in Chiang Mai was shorter but was also excellent. We did have different guides each day because our scheduled guide was ill but her coworkers took excellent care of us.
To end a great trip our days in Phuket were relaxing and full of time spent in the ocean.
We would absolutely recommend kimkim as a platform, Hien from Realistic Asia as a travel agent, and Joey as a local guide. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to our family and friends and we will use them again ourselves.

Karim was a wonderful driver and guide - he was very friendly and knowledgeable. It always felt like he was excited to be sharing his country and his culture with us, which made the trip much more enjoyable. He was also very clear that he was always available to help us with anything.

Our driver guide was Karim. He was very knowledgeable and especially about Berber culture. He made the trip so enjoyable with interesting stops along long drives, insight into the lives of the people and the lifestyle and ensuring that the whole trip was completely seamless.

Our trip was incredible! We enjoyed every place we went. Our driver Karim was so kind and we loved spending time with him. He taught us helpful phrases in Arabic and Berber and we felt prepared and safe with him. He is knowledgeable and loves sharing his Berber culture. We highly recommend him and would travel with him again.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Ghita

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou & Atlas Mountains.

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Sightseeing in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic walking through Dades valley,

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Journey from Merzouga to Boumalne Dades

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 10-day itinerary covered everything we wanted to see, and our driver Karim was the perfect guide. He was knowledgeable and passionate and provided great context on the long drives (in addition to, of course, delivering us safely to each destination). I especially appreciated his insider knowledge of Berber cultures when we were in Merzouga and Boumalne Dades.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Ghita

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

I was expecting comfortable accommodations and a beautiful vista - which I got - but I wasn’t prepared for this to be the best food we’d eat on our trip! We would have happily stayed here longer

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Scenic walking through Dades valley,

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Sightseeing in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hanan was an excellent and knowledgeable guide. She was clearly passionate about the history of her city and was ready with in depth answers to all of our questions.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ashley stayed in constant touch. That was great. Guides were ok. We booked a couple of tours on our own and found the guides from other companies were better. Especially disappointed with the guide in Sapa, she did not show up to welcome us like in all other cities for her personal reasons. Due to the weather the tour was quite short. No one can predict the weather, so we understand that. But during that such short tour, she was constantly handling her own issue over the phone. We were not the priority. Only the driver showed up at train station who did not speak English.
Overall good experience.

I had the best experience, and in fact, this was possibly the best trip I’ve ever had, even as an experienced traveller. From the initial planning stages, to the airport drop off at the end, everything was perfectly and seamlessly handled. Where things didn’t go as planned (things outside of anyone’s control such as a sand storm on the day of my camel sunset ride) they more than made up for it by upgrading my hotel at the next stop. But the best part of it all was my experienced personal driver, Soufain, without whom this trip would not have been the same. Not only did he “protect” me (as a single female travelling on her own) from aggressive vendors and scammers, but he made sure that my every need was taken care of. Thank you, Soufian! Hope to see you again when I bring my family 😃

With Mathia's help and patience we completed the most amazing trip to Norway! We first visited Tromso, then Sommaroy and finished off with visiting London for a days! We would not have seen the spectacular Northern Lights without Mathia booking us on a sail around the sea! Captain Kenneth's knowledge of the waters helped him navigate us and four others to find the Lights. Satchi served us the most delicious vegetarian soup! While we longed for more lights, the trip was made perfect by the dogsledding! Those huskies are amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed sledding in the wilderness! Mathia worked magic to get us drivers and we avoided large bus travel for the most part. The trip was perfect from the hotels, the scenery, the food, the weather, polar might, Aquavit and more! We cannot wait too plan our next adventure!

Activity Reviews

Dog Sledding Day Tour

Sommarøy

Wow! Just wow! The entire trip was great! The ride to the remote area was beautiful. The dogs are beautiful, friendly and well trained for sledding. The guide and everyone who worked there were knowledgeable and fun.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful animals, beautiful surroundings!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Warm, friendly, safe and humorous too!

Transport

Northern Lights Sailing Cruise

Tromsø

Fantastic sail with perfect hosts! Recommend highly!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time in Portugal. Our local specialist, Marina, helped us plan an itinerary that was very specific to our needs. We were exposed to so many different cultural parts of Portugal, seeing both urban culture in Lisbon and historical culture in Porto. We were constantly in awe of the beautifully colored buildings. We were able to immerse ourselves into the food culture with a private cooking class. Taking the ceramic tile class helped us get hands on with the art/ history of the country. Wine tasting in Douro Valley was absolutely beautiful, filled with breathtaking views. It was such a wonderful experience and I was so happy with our trip. Can't wait to come back.

We're still absolutely blown away by our incredible trip to Colombia. It's an amazing, friendly, beautiful, adventurous, exciting, safe and super-friendly country and we loved every minute of our time there.
And the main reason for that is the wonderful service we received from Michael at Chaska Tours, who from our very first enquiry in March 2023, to our eventual arrival in Colombia in Dec 2023 was on hand with suggestions, advice and a friendly approach - nothing was too much trouble!
And then from the minutewe set foot in Colombia, and throughout our entire five weeks exploring, Michael and the Chaska team took care of everything - all our transfers, guides, accommodation and excursions - in the most professional and efficient way imaginable.
We couldn't have seen, done, experienced and met everyone and everything we did without their help, and it was fantastic.
Thanks so much for everything... we will remember this trip for a very long time!