Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had the best time in Chile, and it is all thanks to Lorena!
Lorena was very responsive from the start until we were back home safely. It was a pleasure dealing with her and the rest of the team. She managed to stay within our budget and meet our needs. The hotels and activities that she picked were perfect and exactly what we would have chosen if we arranged our visit to Chile ourselves. Everything worked out perfectly according to the itinerary and the transport was well organised (from the airport pick-up to our rental car).
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
1) Santiago:
- We stayed in the DoubleTree by Hilton Vitacura Hotel and we had an amazing stay. We loved the location as it was safe, close to a metro station and a large shopping mall.
- The Santiago day-tour was fantastic. Our guide, Hernan, was very friendly and knowledgeable.
- We had a private dinner with Gloria and Leo in their apartment. The food was delicious. This was a true Chilean experience.
- We had a wine tasting at Casas del Bosque in the Casablanca valley. Highly recommended.
2) Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine:
- We flew to Punta Arenas and took a bus to Puerto Natales. I would suggest a direct flight to Puerto Natales if possible.
- We stayed at Hotel Costaustralis. This hotel is well located and is close to all restaurants and shops and is on the waterfront.
- We had the most amazing time in Torres del Paine. The full-day tour of the park is a must. Our guide, Jhon from Patagonia Planet, was the best. He is very talkative and knowledgeable (and he takes the best photos without you even asking).
- I would also highly recommend doing a hike in the park. We were lucky to see a puma on our hike. Juan Pablo, our guide, was amazing!
3) Colchagua winelands
- We stayed at Hotel Vina la Playa. Amazing facilities, peaceful environment and friendly staff. Highly recommended.
- Lorena booked wine tours and tastings for us at Viu Manent and Montes vineyards. What an experience! I would also highly recommend eating lunch at the restaurant at Montes, Feugos de Apalta.

Gracias Lorena for organising this memorable trip for us! We had the most amazing time.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Viña La Playa

Santa Cruz

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Santiago - Airport Terminal

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Santiago - Vitacura

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colchagua Valley Vineyards Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Dinner Experience

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaíso & Wine Tour

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helena was knowledgeable and quick to inform us on the best things to do in each city. She arranged mostly everything for us without a glitch.

Excellent tour guides at each destination that were very informative and kind. Walking tour with Antoine and tour of Sintra with Marta especially stood out. They were informative, funny and accommodating especially with the weather changes.

Thanks

Adam did a fantastic job setting up our trip, organizing excursions and answering all of our questions, even when we were in Iceland. We could not have had a better experience with kimkim. We would highly recommend snorkeling at Silfra, our guide Konrad was fantastic. The Sky Lagoon on our first morning was amazing, a great way to start the trip after a red eye flight. Our glacier cave experience was also fantastic, even with crazy winds. Through the careful and thoughtful planning of Adam, we got to see so much of the country, stayed in cool hotels and had memorable experiences.

This is the second time that Ruth has organised an amazing trip for us. We cannot recommend her Australian trips enough.

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Adelaide

Adelaide

Fantastic room on the 15th floor, beautiful night views of Adelaide

Location

Lots of eating and drinking places close by if you're not going to eat in the hotel restaurant

Staff

Very helpful and polite reception staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wonderful bed and bedding. Beautiful restful room and a decent shower

Clare Country Club

Clare

Lovely hotel, it was a shame that the hotel restaurant was closed over a holiday weekend.

Authenticity & Character

Sited by a lake and a golf course. Lots of birdlife

Location

Not far from Clare town and surrounded by excellent wineries

Staff

Loved the barmaid but can't remember her name!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable bed and very clean

Wilpena Pound Resort

Flinders Ranges

Great staff, excellent food. Really good value for food and drink. Good family place. Loved the tours on offer

Authenticity & Character

Very suited to the location,

Location

50 kms from the nearest town, stunning scenery. Set in the bush

Staff

Staff in the restaurant and bar were really accommodating. And the local tour guides excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

We struggled with the ants in our room.

Barossa Shiraz Estate

Lyndoch

Fantastic place to stay, great location and beautiful surroundings in a private vineyard. Wonderful local provisions provided and super comfortable bed.

Authenticity & Character

Stand alone period villa

Location

5 minutes out of a small country town and local eating places

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything immaculate and very comfortable

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Sacred Canyon - Yura Mulka - Cultural Walk

Flinders Ranges

Excellent tour with a local guide who explained the significance of the drawings in the canyon and told stories about his people in a quiet way. Really enjoyed this tour

Morning Time Travel & Gorgeous Gorges Tour

Flinders Ranges

Jackie was our guide and we thought she was really informative and interesting.

Drop off Rental Car

Australia

Easy to find for pick up and drop off

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All the guides on the tours at Wilpena outdoor do a wonderful job explaining the geology and cultural aspects of their environment

John and I have completed our trip to New Zealand and had a wonderful experience thanks to Connie. We were greeted at every
stop with friendly ground transportation people allowing us to travel worry free. Our hotels were all impeccably clean and located within walking distances to city centers. The excursions she set up were wonderful including the wine tasting tour and TSS Earnslaw evening in Queenstown, and the boat ride on Milford Sound.
We would highly recommend a trip to New Zealand planned by Connie at KIMKIM.

We couldn’t have been happier with our trip from start to finish! We had flights booked but were getting stuck trying to decide where to go and what to see so about one week prior to departure I investigated KimKim and was immediately impressed with the service we received from their in-country travel professionals.
Ali did a fantastic job putting a credible itinerary into place, and Said nailed it down promptly so we knew exactly what to expect once we arrived.
I cannot say enough about the wonderful experience we had with our driver Oussama, throughout the trip. We always knew we were in safe hands throughout our journey, thanks to his warm, friendly, flexible yet very professional attitude. By the end of our 10 day trip, we considered him to be a loyal friend and were so appreciative of his combined efforts to make sure our trip was a very satisfying adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Ksar Anika

Marrakech

The Ksar Anika is in a wonderful location inside the Medina, close to the Bahia Palace in Marrakech. It was truly a calming sanctuary in stark opposition to the craziness of busy city life outside.

Authenticity & Character

We adored the beautiful marble and intricate tile work as well as the tasteful and relaxing lobby furniture in the pool area and the wonderful huge chandelier that hangs in the center of the open garden zone.

Location

Very centrally located in the Medina.

Staff

Very attentive and accommodating. They even packed a free lunch for us, knowing that we were headed back to Casablanca to catch a plane. So very thoughtful overall.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tasteful decor and clean and tidy. We loved the sounds of birdsong as you step outside your room. So peaceful and light and open.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

We were super impressed with the overall hospitality offered by the amazing three-brother team at Dar Rihana. Guests are welcomed with a delightful homemade orange/ginger/honey tissane that is one for the books ; accompanied by delicate home baked almond biscuits. The youngest brother is a talented chef so every meal is a sheer delight. Decor is modern and inviting. The views are spectacular and the surroundings peaceful. The brothers make every effort to assure guests are satisfied on so many levels. We were super impressed by our stay at Dar Rihana!

Authenticity & Character

Modern, yet authentic Moroccan decor.

Location

Nestled along the towering hills of the Dades Valley, so quiet and peaceful, with amazing views and easy to explore the whole area, right out the back door!

Staff

Abdealatif was a wonderfully kind and attentive host. The entire staff here were just great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We stayed in a brand new section of the hotel so everything was pristine! Beautiful rugs, lovely linens, nice tableware, cozy outdoor seating areas on the terrasse.

Activity Reviews

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Such a wonderful opportunity to see the sunrise over the Moroccan landscape from 1km in the sky!

Quality of Experience

Food

Even a breakfast was included after the ride!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone from the driver who fetched us from our road at 4:45am, to the staff in the ground at the site to the competent and experienced pilot, were outstanding.

Transport

Reliable and friendly

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

An insightful guided tour through the labyrinth that is the Marrakech Medina! Our guide Said was an absolute treasure chest of knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Said was very knowledgeable, patient and thanks to his height he was easy to spot over the crowds of people!

Transport

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

This trek was one of the highlights of our trip, thanks to our friendly and knowledgeable guide Ismail. The sun shone brightly over this idyllic landscape. We felt like we were in paradise as we crossed babbling brooks and over bouldered paths. You’d never want to be out there without the guidance of a local guide familiar with the terrain! The lunch that we enjoyed, prepared by Ismail’s mother Toda (sp?) was both hearty and delicious. It’s so commendable how throughout the country, the locals were happy to cook for us and yet refrain from partaking in any of the food due to their fasting commitment during daylight hours as they observed Ramadan. This was a really delightful time that both my son and I really enjoyed. The renown Berber hospitality was second to none!!

Quality of Experience

The beautiful location and the kind hospitality made this a day to cherish.

Food

Delicious food with wonderful hosts!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ismail is a happy soul whose love for his village and surrounding area radiates through him. Communication between him and our trustworthy driver Oussama were always flawless so we were never left waiting as he seemingly magically appeared to shuttle us off to the next wonderful vista.

Transport

Oussama was predictably reliable and flawless!

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

We had a wonderful day with Ali exploring the Sahara and her people!

Quality of Experience

Ali was an excellent guide who certainly knows the desert like the back of his hand!

Food

Delicious and heathy all around!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Land Cruiser Prado was getting a bit tired, passenger side window control was gone. But it got us where we wanted to go in relative comfort.

Ramadan Experience - Preparing Iftar with a Moroccan Family

Morocco

It was such a pleasure to be welcomed into the home of a wonderfully friendly family for Iftar. The food was delectable and the company was warm and interactive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Again we always felt secure in the reliable hands of Oussama as our driver!

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes: Morocco's Spiritual Heart

Fes

Our guide Azzedine was a wealth of knowledge so it was a fun and extremely informative exploration of the wonderful city of Fes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Azzedine was smart, friendly and entertaining. He made our day very enjoyable!

Transport

Our flawless driver Oussama made the transport from place to place seamless.

Angel arranged a fantastic 2 week trip for our party of 6. We had kayaking and hiking guides/outfitters in multiple cities, room for independent hikes, multiple transfers, multiple car rentals, multiple flights, along with varying levels of good to excellent accommodations. Also, we did have one person in our group who had researched our trip extensively and communicated her preferences for us, in creating the end itinerary. Importantly, after our trip, any and all outstanding discrepancies with local agencies were resolved via Angel’s communication with them.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

Located centrally in Providencia, only 1.5 blocks away from the metro. The front desk staff and housekeeping were very kind. Buffet breakfast was good. The room was exceptionally small and dated, though it did have a refrigerator, a safe, and an in-wall air conditioner.

Authenticity & Character

Bed linens, comforter with washable cover

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are just small

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Very nice views of the lake and centrally located to downtown. Wood interior large corner suite was very comfortable and clean. A short walk from downtown shops and restaurants. The bar and the restaurant in the hotel, were good with a friendly staff. We did not get the chance to use the gym or pool located across the street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rio Serrano

Torres del Paine

The hotel staff, all areas, were very good. Our daily interactions were with the front desk, bar servers and dining room servers. Everyone tolerated our wretched Spanish attempts despite their excellent abilities in English. Amazing views from our room with a view - please choose this option. We stayed in both the non-view room - smaller and only 1 chair, and the view option room - 2 chairs and a table, more spacious … and the view! Utilized the gym and the area for using a mat was quite small with an impossibly large Bosu ball. Wonderful dry sauna and the views from the pool were unending (bubbler loungers were also good!). Food in both the dining room and bar area were excellent. I would come back here. I also liked their natural finishes design esthetic. There were enough public spaces and they were also large enough to feel at peace.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view of the Masiff and all the nearby rivers. We were there mid-March and the weather was already changing to fall so we had a rainy day stay at the hotel that we welcomed.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

The staff of this hotel were very kind. The room size was very good with a sea view. And the location was walking distance to the main plaza. Unfortunately, during our brief stay - 3 nights, there was a mold issue in the bath area with a strong smell as the heater warmed up to dry our clothing. The other 2 rooms in our traveling group did not have this issue.

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Visit Undurraga Vineyard - Wine Tasting

Santiago

We had an excellent tour by … urghh, will comeback and include her name, included walking the regular vineyard and sampling a variety of grapes off the vine. Their separate sample grape garden, with a large variety of grapes in a relatively small area, was also a nice tasting comparison. And, after viewing the cask rooms and the mini museum, the tasting was well conducted- enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was excellent

Transport

Very comfortable van

Half Day Kayaking in Llanquihue Lake

Puerto Varas

We didn’t kayak in the lake, though we briefly visited it. Instead, we kayaked through a canal like estuary with lovely weeping willows and bird wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Dampened, literally, by leaking spray skirt and lack of provided non-dirt area to change into dry clothing. The estuary was great and unexpected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short drive of approx 15” from downtown.

Climbing Cerro La Picada

Puerto Varas

Because of a late evening arrival, where our guide was patiently waiting at the hotel to brief us, we opted to forego a volcano summit for more sleep! Instead, we left later in the morning, 08:00, and hiked to the saddle between the two volcanos of La Picada and Ornos. I highly recommend this hike and the guide company. And, they make a delish sandwich. There was a big variety in the terrain we crossed and just beautiful views though not in the distance due to mist. I especially liked the new experience of hiking/gliding down some volcanic dirt/sand. We were also able to see Todos los Santos lake, as the weather cleared for a bit.

Quality of Experience

Exceptional views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and informed

Transport

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

It is a bit of a drive but the van is comfortable and the ferry crossing a nice break in the driving. The penguin reserve was very good and interesting. I recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agua Fresca Bay Kayaking

Punta Arenas

We had a wonderful kayak outing with Claudia and her team. The water was incredibly calm and we were repeatedly told this was the exception. There were dolphins in the distance, apparently attracted by the motor of the dinghy. The tea and snack afterward, in the cozy dining room, were very nice after being on the water. Enjoyed hearing a bit about the settlers of the region. I would recommend doing this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an incredible experience in Mexico City. The trip was completely customized to our needs and we thoroughly enjoyed our time. In particular, the market tour, the cooking class and the tour of the Chinampas were excellent.

Activity Review

Discover the flavors and colors of the exotic San Juan Market

Mexico City

Clara was an amazing tour guide. She was incredibly attentive to the needs of the entire family and adjusted the trip to accommodate our interests. She was very kind and very knowledgeable. Really terrific trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks to our local specialist, Angel, we had an amazing, fun-filled trip to the beautiful country of Chile. There were 6 of us on the trip and we bombarded Angel with incredible detail on what we wanted to do. He took care of us before, during and after our trip. It was amazing how it all came together. We were taken care of by local guides every step of the way and Angel was always available and checking in with us.

First, we traveled to the beautiful city of Punta Arenas where we did a kayak tour on the Strait of Magellan (loved our guide, Claudia). We also did an all day tour to Tierra del Fuego to see the king penguins. Our tour guide, Ferdinando, added in a wonderful side trip to have lunch at this delightful cafe. The stew was so good! And he also took us on a side tour so we could see the flamingos.

Next stop was Torres del Paine where we stayed at Rio Serrano. What a wonderful place! We upgraded to suites with incredible views of the massif especially at sunrise!. We paid for the all-inclusive package and the staff delivered on that with a 5 star rating! At Torres del Paine, we did a kayak tour to Grey Glacier. It was a beautiful calm day. And we really enjoyed our guides! We also hiked several trails in the parque...we hiked to the Cuernos Lookout and the Mirador Base Las Torres...the latter was one of my biggest highlights of the trip. So epic! My husband also did a private fishing guide tour and had a blast. He caught 7 brown trout...thanks to Sebastian, his guide, for finding the sweet spot to fish! Thank you to our local guide, Jose, who ensured everything went well for us during this special part of our 14 day trip.

From here we went to Puerto Varas. We did a guided hike tour of Mirador Cerro La Picada with some great views of the Osorno Volcano and Lago Todos Los Santos. It was fun coming down the mountain on volcanic sand! We could not have done this hike without our awesome guides, Jose and Eduardo. We probably would have gotten lost! Thank you, Angel, for also ensuring we got the most magnificent suites at Hotel Cabana del Lago! The views from our room of the double rainbows on the lake were spectacular! Hotel Cabana del Lago is a great service-oriented hotel. A special thank you to Rafael, our local guide. Upon our departure from the hotel, our rental car completely malfunctioned. Rafael was able to work with the rental car company and a taxi service to ensure we all got to the airport on time.

We ended our trip in Santiago...thanks to Jose (aka Pepe) for all of his help at the airport on arrival and departure, for getting us to the Undurraga Winery for a great tour and for recommending Baco restaurante for dinner!

The Chilean people are very special. They are so kind and genuine. We felt so welcome in their country. Given so many of them also speak English, it was so much fun to practice my Spanish with them.

I would highly recommend kimkim to anyone looking for a memory of a lifetime. To the people at the kimkim home office, to Angel tending to our every need, to the local guides helping us throughout the trip....my husband and I say Muchas Gracias!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

This is clearly a hotel in the city. We were in a very small room. The air conditioner was cold but hard to manage not being blown out in the middle of the night. Front desk staff were very courteous. Location was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe area.

Staff

Front desk always eager to help. Breakfast help very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms need some upgrading. Not sure about the comforter on the bed....probably needed a good cleaning. Doors to shelves did not easily slide. They would be better off taking the doors off the tracks completely.

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

The front desk people were great. Rooms were clean. Great views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

The 10th floor suite with the panoramic view of the lake was awesome. The clouds were hanging over the volcano most of the time, but we got an extra treat....a view of the double rainbow over the lake. The restaurant service was very good. They made my birthday special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazing suite.

Hotel Rio Serrano

Torres del Paine

Wonderful service, wonderful staff, great food, the suites with the view of the mountains are superb! The spa was icing on the cake...especially on one of the rainy days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Undurraga Vineyard - Wine Tasting

Santiago

It was a good tour but I was not feeling well that day. But really interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgable.

Transport

I wasn't feeling well so wasn't in the mood to be in a van.

Climbing Cerro La Picada

Puerto Varas

Loved the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly Fishing in Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine

Exceptional. Sebastian was great. Good guy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Genuine human being. Great fisherman. He knows his work.

Transport

Transfer to Grey Lake -Kayak through the Glaciers at Grey Lake - Transfer back to your hotel

Chile

Loved our guides. Great calm water day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

crowded boat

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agua Fresca Bay Kayaking

Punta Arenas

Loved our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was so impressed with KimKim! My local specialist, Johanna, was very patient with me, and took the time to really understand what I wanted out of the trip! In addition, I planned it very last minute, and she did a great job of making it all come together! I also had a local team specialist Kristy, who was great at dealing with any issues we had along the way. I found the service to be invaluable especially with the almost instant help and feedback I got well traveling. I have never used a travel agent before, and I’ve always planned my own trips and was hesitant about using KimKim but after this experience, I will probably Never travel without KimKim again!

The trip was awesome and Morocco is a fascinating and mystical place, but everything was even better thanks to our driver Ayoub. He was always there for us, and I felt that more than a driver I had a friend that was showing us his country. Can’t thank him enough for all he has done for us!
The whole trip was great and the accommodation even better! Thanks to Kimkim and the local agency Original Travels for such a great experience!

Our trip to Vietnam was amazing! Kim Kim travel agents provided an outstanding service, they suggested us a great itinerary and accommodated it to our desires. Our guide, Victor, and chofer had a great attitude and made us feel secure and pampered. The experiences were incredible.. It is definitely a trip that we will remember all our life’s.

A family trip to Paris and Normandy.

The trip went exactly as planned except for some things which were beyond anyone's control. The drivers were on time an professional and accommodations and quick pivots were made when necessary.

Vaseem was helpful and responsive during the planning of the trip. We were not easy clients as our dates changed and we were not always quick to respond.

During the trip I needed to be in touch with KIMKIM and using the numbers we were given had response back in very short order and problems solved.

Vaseem recommended a food tour in a part of Paris we had never been. It was a great suggestion. In fact all the guides arranged by Vaseem were top notch.

Well done.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Mont-Saint-Michel

France

The Abbey was closed! No one knew and no one seemed to know why. Our guide did a quick pivot and the rest of the day was still great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food tour in Belleville

Paris

The guide was knowledgeable, on time and fun! We learned about cheese , chocolate and the difference between a restaurant and and brasserie.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit of the Domaine de Chantilly

Chantilly

An incredible place with an amazing collection.

Tour of D-Day Sites

France

the Canadian museum at Juno was informative. Our guide was well informed and new how to navigate the sites adn locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved our trip to Buenos Aires and Patagonia, specifically El Calafate. We highly recommend both. That said, the actual execution was a mix of good and not. We were pleased with the overall planning process and the overall itinerary suggestions by Agustina and her responsiveness to questions about the trip.. However, the actual execution fell short in a few ways:

Our transfer to the local airport to fly to El Calafate was a no-show, and we didn’t get immediate response from our original local contact, who turned out to be on holiday a lot of the time we were in BA. It was very stressful, and we never got an apology or really any sympathy, just a quick refund of the cost we paid to get a taxi ourselves at 4:30 a.m. with the help of the hotel.

Speaking of the hotel, we loved the Mine Boutique Hotel in BA and would highly recommend it, but only ended up there after we asked for multiple more options from those originally suggested.

(Also the country guide materials shared with us stressed the strictness of luggage weight limits, and so we took the time to repack for El Calafate. However from what we could see, there was no apparent attention paid to many of our fellow passengers very large suitcases.)

We also requested additional options for hotels in El Calafate from the one originally suggested, and eventually without notification, when we went to review the final itinerary, the hotel to which we had agreed was not the one listed in the itinerary. Only after asking did we get a reply that the original one was no longer available, and so Agustina had booked an alternative. That one didn’t appeal to us, and set off another round of hurriedly reviewing options. We ended up at Terrazas del Calafate, which was tolerable but not great.

We had two walking tours in BA. While we were happy with them and the plan, the first one was rained out and rescheduled for the last day of our trip. That guide, Sandra, did a great job but we were surprised that she showed up without any apparent knowledge of the places that we were expecting to see that day. We then lost some time dealing with public buses over to La Boca that could have been easily saved with a taxi. No blame for Sandra, I don’t think, but someone didn’t get the message about the tour plan for the day.

On the positive side, the excursions in El Calafate were amazing: boat to Estancia Cristina, Perito Moreno glacier via both walking platforms and boat, and a day at Nibebo Aike sheep ranch including 3 hours on horseback. A note about Nibepo Aike—it is a long, bumpy ride to get there. However for us it was definitely worth it, but I wasn’t mentally expecting the gravel road trek.

As mentioned before, we highly recommend the Mine Hotel, but also generally that part of the Palermo neighborhood is a great great place to be, particularly for restaurants and shopping, as well as a base to go to other parts of the city and proximity to the National airport too.

Hotel Reviews

Terrazas del Calafate

El Calafate

Somewhat dated. Walkable but a long way to main drag, though taxis are easy. Nice view of lake but not really to the mountains. Mix of great and surly staff. Pretty much lives up to its website—calibrate your expectations. I wouldn’t recommend seeking it out, but if you’re short other options, it serves its purpose.

Mine Hotel Boutique

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to many restaurants and shopping in the neighborhood, plus close to the National airport and decently located to get to the other major neighborhoods and sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Estancia Nibepo Aike

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Food

Lives up to expectations for the roast lamb experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perito Moreno Glacier & Safari Azul

Argentina

Quality of Experience

Trekking at Estancia Cristina

El Calafate

Had a fabulous time at the Paro Festival, Tiger's Nest, Punakha, and Thimpu.

Our family of 5, including 3 kids ages 10 and under, had a wonderful 10-day trip visiting three towns in Costa Rica. Everything was perfectly planned and scheduled with the tour operators and the needs and interests of our family considered in the planning. Thank you, Jean, for your local expertise, lining up such a great schedule and considering the variety of activities and scheduling our tours with such great operators! We loved that so many of our activities were with smaller family-owned businesses and not with large crowds.

We will definitely be working with KimKim for future similar trips!

Hotel Reviews

KC Hotel San Jose

San José

Authenticity & Character

Lovely property with nice features throughout and a fun tropical vibe.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the room setup with two separate bedrooms for families. Squeaky clean location with a beautiful pool area.

La Fortuna Downtown Boutique Hotel

La Fortuna San Carlos

Located right downtown in the heart of LaFortuna. Lots of restaurants and activities nearby to soak up the local culture. Smaller rooms, but, in a perfect location for getting around town and exploring other areas.

Authenticity & Character

Small hotel with historical styled rooms and corridors. We loved the windows overlooking the street with seats to people watch.

Location

Centrally located in LaFortuna.

Staff

Friendly hotel staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fonda Vela Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful property with a truly local feel right in the rainforest.

Location

Quiet location right in the rainforest with lots of wildlife. Hiking trail around the property and a very nicely maintained pool and grounds.

Staff

This hotel has the most friendly and accommodating staff! There were many who spoke fluent english.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Lovely location with lots of animals and we had an amazing guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Fun experience with a different view of the cloud forest. Our guides was great for a bigger group ensuring he rotated through the front and back of the group. Climbing the ficus tree at the end was an unexpected and fun surprise!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk

Monteverde

Fun adventure where we were able to see lots of insects and critters. Seeing the rainforest at night was a real treat and nice contrast to other the daytime hikes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth sanctuary tour

Monteverde

Sloths were beautiful and the highlight. It was a short experience when compared to the transportation, lines and wait times. Visit the sloths at another location that isn't the Adventure park.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Guided Walking Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Our guide made this a fun, informative and funny trip for everyone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oscar and Javier were very knowledgeable anout the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Hotel Review

Taypikala Deluxe Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Amazing food, great view of the mountains.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Franck, of KimKim/Once in a Lifetime. The trip you planned for us to New Zealand exceeded our expectations. We kept saying, “thank you Franck”!! We loved the process of planning. You came up with a first idea plan and listened to how we wanted to personalize it to fit our dreams. We liked all of the accommodations upgraded to water/view front and we asked for something unique. It was nice having a few days in Auckland at MSocial to check out the bay and whale/dolphins excursion and acclimate to the 18 hour time difference. We loved the night time redwood tree walk and our morning stroll again in Rotorua. We had a breathtaking tour and wonderful chat with Jill Simpson, own of beautiful Akaroa Garden; then off to a fun and worthwhile dolphin cruise . Mount Cook Lakeside retreat on lake Pulaski was luxurious; great views, chef cooked meals and perfect location to explore the Mackenzie region. We had a private plane, The Grand Traverse to fly over the glacier and mountain areas of Mackenzie Aoraki National Park. Two of us made it to stargazing after a wonderful dinner in the dining hall, lead by lodge owner. Magnificent!!! Crazy, amazing place to stay (photos). We had an informative and fun backcountry tour as one of our adventures while there. We also got up close to an iceberg and glacier at Lake Tekapo, Next we drove to Clyde and stayed at a unique and authentic Oliver’s Lodge. The people are so welcoming there! Our favorite place was Milford Lodge staying at Cabot Lodge. Breidi met us with umbrella and she and husband Brad Alexander/owners made us feel so welcome. Such a luxuriously unique accommodations on the beautiful hills of their Lodge overlooking the Fiordland National Park and Lake Manapouri. Breathtakingly beautiful. Milford sound is a magical place. Jeff, of Trips and Tramps was our bus driver, part of our coach, cruise and walk tour. We snuck in a helicopter ride that he set up while we were there.

Thanks again Franck. It was a trip of a lifetime. You took care of every detail from pick up driver at every needed venue, rental car, and several amazing meals and awesome excursions. This was our second time using KimKim and you did not disappoint.

We had an incredible time. My only criticism is not getting a detailed itinerary before arrival—pick up times, etc. I had no cell service or internet until arrival at first hotel, so I had no way of knowing about driver from airport. Once I met up with Amy in Lima, the rest went very smoothly.

My 19yo daughter and I had a great time on our trip to Belize. Chris listened to everything I wanted and planned a perfect itinerary. We enjoyed horseback riding to the Maya site Xunantunich. Our guides Jose and Carla were knowledgeable and accommodating. Jose helped me get to the top of the pyramid as I’m afraid of heights. I’m so glad I did it—the view was amazing! We also enjoyed cave tubing en route from San Ignacio to San Pedro. It was beautiful and we saw a family of howler monkeys right above us along the riverside. Last, we snorkeled with nurse sharks and rays in Hol Chan. Our guide Carlos showed us a number of cool sea creatures like eels and an arrowhead crab. Our accommodations at Falling Leaves Lodge and Ramon’s Village were comfortable and clean. Thanks to Chris we were able to enjoy an upgrade to an ocean view room at Ramon’s which we appreciated. Last, our driver between sites, Derek, was always prompt and made getting around feel easy and safe.

Hotel Reviews

Ramon's Village Resort

San Pedro

Authenticity & Character

A little touristy in character but still beautiful and comfortable. The clean beach and chaise lounges were appreciated.

Location

Right on the beautiful turquoise water.

Staff

Friendly and lots of good suggestions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bedding and pillows could use replacing.

Falling Leaves Lodge

San Ignacio

Pool and poolside snack bar was under construction but will add a lot to the experience.

Authenticity & Character

The gardens were beautiful . Room was small but comfortable and clean. Shower hot.

Location

Proximity to Cahal Pech Maya site; being at the top of the hill limited dining and activity options

Staff

Paula and Kevin were great. Pointed out plants and a toucan in the garden. Some restaurant staff were not always welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley - from Victoria House Resort

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse Backriding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins

Belize

Guides Jose and Carla were great. Horses were well behaved. Site was amazing. Jose helped me with the climb—so kind.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport