Kimkim Trip Reviews

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

Hotel Review

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

The room was small but the view of the Acropolis from the upstairs terrace was amazing! The location of the hotel was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Round trip Transfer in Athens

Athens

All our transfers went very smoothly! They were always on time! Unfortunately traffic in Athens was horrible - soooo allowing time to travel based on traffic conditions is a must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Vouliagmeni Lake (for Linda & friends)

Athens

Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saronic Islands Day Cruise (for Linda & Friends)

Athens

The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Everyone loved the cruise portion of the trip. The islands themselves were just okay ;o)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Meal in Nafplio

Greece

We enjoyed the dinner meal in Nafplio - but it was unfortunately too close to when we had lunch so most of us were not hungry enough to do the meal justice :o( But the food and location of the restaurant on the waterfront was superb!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cape Sounio Sunset tour

Greece

After getting settled into our hotel in the afternoon our evening tour began with a private drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion where we explored the Temple of Poseidon. Then we drove down the hill to a taverna on the beach and enjoyed a sunset dinner right on the water front with spectacular views of the Temple of Poseidon lit up at sunset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Custom Food & Wine Day Trip to the Peloponnese for Linda & Friends

Athens

The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by a great lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and a fabulous dinner at a waterfront tavern.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Custom Agora & Flavors Tour for Linda & Friends

Athens

What I liked most about this tour was the combination of walking tour of Ancient Agora combined with a food tour that included a craft beer tasting plus a stop at Brettos to taste Osso +++ :o) So there was a little something special for everyone in the group!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was amazing! Liz planned a perfect trip for us and answered all of my little and big questions along the way. She worked within our budget and we felt like we were treated so well throughout. The drivers were where they were supposed to be at the times they said they would, the tours were all so well done!
We started in Sydney. We had a change to our harbour tour but ended up getting to see the lights of Vivid with the evening tour. We hit all of the iconic expereinces- the Sydney Opera House tour and the Bridge Climb. Liz was able to change our reservation to twighlight and we were on the bridge as the lights came up. It was terrifying and spectacular, and I would definitely recommend. The tour guides there- Nick gave us the tour and Molly set us up- were so fun. It is such a well organized plan that, even if you are afraid of heights, or anxious about being 134 meters over the water, you couldn't help but feel at ease.
We did the bike tour with Bonzo bikes in the Rocks. Stu was a great guide and, after being totally ovewhelmed by Sydney on my first exhausted day, felt so comfortable and able to really enjoy the sights of the city. It is beautiful-even in winter, the trees are evergreen, so it felt like spring in the northeast/US.
We stopped at Calmsley Farm on the way to the blue mountains. This was a lovely site with helpful guides who know the animals. We learned about the koalas, kangaroos, wallabys and more.
Our trip to the Blue Mountains included a hike and a lovely picnic lunch. We got to see some beautiful views and a waterfall on our hike.
We traveled to Melbourne via Quantas. We stayed at the Batmans Hill on Collins. This was our best accommodation! It was a really interesting building. We had plenty of space for our crew of 3-me, my husband and my 20 yo daughter. They had laundry for a small fee. The staff were so friendly and helpful throughout our stay. It was convenient to the train as well as the light rail which is free within the city. We stopped at the moonlit sancturary where we got to feed the wallabys and kangaroos! We saw the Penguins at Phillip Island, the Yarrow Valley for a vinyard tour= Cam from Vinetrekkers was great. We had a fun, chatty group and really enjoyed the otherwise rainy day! We walked to the aquarium and checked out the Royal and Block arcades on our free days. It felt like being in Hogsmeade-if you are a Harry Potter fan! Definitely felt like a throwback for us!
Off to another flight to Cairnes for our stay in Port Douglas. I can't say enough about the crew at Sailaway who took us to the outer great barrier reef! So knowledgeable and fun. Safety was always at the forefront. We even witnessed their first whale sighting of the migration north just off the point of Snapper Island. We learned a ton about the reef and sustainability.
We headed to Kuranda via the skyrail and scenic rail tour. The little town had a lot to offer. The views were spectacular and we were able to have lunch with a view.
Our Billy Safari tour of the Daintree rainforest was our last official tour. We were exhuasted but still enjoyed Daniel's storie and the views. The river tour was great- we saw several crocodiles and some resident birds.
Our day was back in Sydney to get our flight home. We used the train system to get to the Wildlife museum where we finally found a playpus! The dollar was in our favor so we really were able to eat, visit and enjoy without much fuss.
Our daughter prompted this trip by doing a semester at The University of New Castle in New South Wales. She had an amazing experiece. We were all so impressed by the kindness of the people, the ease of navigating the cities and the amazing opportunities Australia had to offer! We are so thankful we stumbled upon Liz and Kimkim when trying to figure out how to plan a financially manageable trip! Thanks for everything! We all had different highlights but all agreed it was too hard to pick a favorite!

Hotel Reviews

Villa San Michele

Port Douglas

The location was great- right in the middle of town, but in a quiet community! We really should have chosen a larger room for the 3 of us- it was a bit tight for 3 adults in the 1 br apt.

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

The building was really unique. We had a lot of space, laundry was easily accessible, food was good and staff were all friendly! We had seen some reviews which did not reflect the same experience, so we were really pleasantly surprised and it was the best accommodation of our 14 day tour of Australia. The location was great. We walked to the aquarium and the local arcades. We took the free light rail to the night market pretty easily.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

Clean and close to the light rail. Breakfast was included and good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in China town. It was a cool location, just a tougher walk than we realized. Once we figured out the light rail it was easier!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Kevin was a great tour guide! He got us where we needed to be and knew the best way to navigate the crowds. We had a cold, rainy night but still had an amazing time and saw around 800 penguins come ashore! It was amazing!

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch

Port Douglas

We loved our experience with Sailaway! The crew was fantastic-fun, knowledgeable and comfortable to be around! They were on top of everything from safety to motion sickness to reef knowlege and conservation. Can't say enough!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Yarra Valley Wine and Food Tour

Melbourne

We had a great day with Cam and Vinetrekker despite the dreary day! Lots of great people and chatter! The wine was good, too :)

Quality of Experience

Food

We had a lovely meal with some local fare!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Nick and Molly helped us through the process. So well organized and safety conscious. We had amazing time, seeing the lights come up for Vivid! Amazing experiece despite some mild terror! They are so good about putting you at ease and making you feel safe! Picture is our celebratory drink after the climb!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Stu was a great guide! It was a very relaxed outing and I felt like we saw Sydney in a way that I never would have on foot! We enjoyed the info and the chatter! We took our helmets off for the photo!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

This was a 12-day Family and Friends cross-country expedition in Italy to key places the group wanted to explore that they hadn't done in the past. This included Florence, Siena, Pisa/Lucca, Italian Riviera (Cinque Terre, Portofino), Lake Como, and Venice :o) Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, worked with me for almost 2 years on this trip! She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with! She took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 12 family/friends! It was sooooo much fun working with Eleni on this trip and finally getting to meet her after both our Italy trip and our follow-on cruise that ended in Greece - where we then continued the 2nd trip that Eleni crafted for our group in Greece ;o)

Honestly, everything went so smoothly - all our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stays, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 12-day period. There were soooo many highlights of this trip, one of which included all the various winetasting excursions that Eleni masterfully integrated into the itinerary as we explored the Tuscany region. Additional highlights included a sunset dinner outside of San Gimignano at an organic farm pairing our meal with wine tasting from the famous Chianti region. During our 3 days in the Italian Riviera, we had 2 boating excursions where we were able to explore the Italian Riviera from the sea and another where we not only explored Cinque Terra Villages from the land but also saw this UNESCO site from the sea. We had an awesome private day trip in and around Portofino including a unique culinary experience where we learned to make Pesto and enjoyed a lunch with regional specialties paired with beer and wine. Another highlight of this trip was our stay in Lake Como that included a hike in the hills and a picnic lunch in a hilltop village overlooking Lake Como - then we continued our hike down the hills for a boating excursion around Lake Como. On our way to Venice, we stopped at a winery, explored their cellars and winemaking processes then enjoyed a winetasting session and lunch! Once in Venice - we had a great walking tour and ended with a gondola ride on the grand canal. After our time in Venice we were then transported to the Chioggia Cruise Terminal to begin our "Empires of the Mediterranean" Viking Cruise that ended in Greece.

AGAIN - Eleni and her team (Travel 12 Team) were awesome. The Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question!

THANK YOU for a most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

Deborah really listened to what we wanted and planned a wonderful trip. We stayed in Rome for 3 nights and Sorrento for 5 nights. All of the drivers that we had were WONDERFUL! One of the best activities we did was a cooking class in Sorrento with Chef Martina. It was one of the best things we have ever done! We also had a great time in Ravello at a wine tasting and vineyard tour. Hotel Corallo in Sorrento (Sant'Angello) was a perfect location away from the crowds, but close to everything with beautiful views. I tried several travel agents before deciding to use Deborah, and none of them really listened to what I wanted. Deborah was a great listener, patient, and communicative!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

Our stay at Hotel Corallo on the Amalfi Coast was also fantastic. The hotel had a beautiful view of the water and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Despite initially getting a room off the lobby without a balcony or terrace, we found our stay to be excellent. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting the Amalfi Coast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Della Conciliazione

Rome

Our stay at Hotel Della Conciliazione in Rome was fantastic. The location was close to everything, and the hotel was clean with a friendly staff. The hotel seemed to be located in a neighborhood with a lot of locals, which added to the authentic feel of our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Small group tour of Colosseum with Arena access, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

The Colosseum tour was also great. Our guide was fantastic and the small group size made the experience enjoyable. The historical sites were breathtaking and our guide made them come alive with interesting facts and stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of the Amalfi Coast villages with wine tasting and lunch at Tenuta di San Francesco

Italy

Our driver was Tony. Tony was warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. He was so much fun! He made the drive around the Amalfi coast so much fun. The wine tasting was great. The family who runs the vineyard were so kind and humble. The food and wine were great. It says it is a light lunch. We were STUFFED!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tony is fabulous!

Cooking Class in Amalfi Coast

Italy

Best thing we did on our whole trip! Chef Martina is amazing. You go directly to her home and actually cook in her kitchen. The views from her home are amazing! She has such a passion for what she is doing. There are not words to describe this wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

We had Sylvia as our tour guide. She was an art history major so she had a true passion for what she was showing us, but she made it easy for all of us to understand. Highly recommend Sylvia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Aperitivo Tour

Rome

Valeria was our guide through the foods and neighborhoods in Rome. We were exhausted from our travels, but she was fabulous. Valeria was knowledgeable, kind, warm, and fun! We had a great experience trying food that the locals ate. She also helped us get oriented to where we were in Rome so that we knew the area on the first day.

Quality of Experience

Really felt like a local

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dimitris and I planned my husband’s & my trip to Greece unlike most tourists. We had true concierge service to visit and experience the ancient cultures, including the Minoan, Mycenaean, as well as Classical Greece. We toured Athens, Delphi, Corinth, Mycenae, Delos, Naxos, the Akoritiri in Santorini, Heraculon, and of course the beauty of Chania, with the Venetian influence. What a timeline of Civilization! Our drivers could have been tour guides, and their knowledge and professionalism is superb. We probably should have started our trip late May instead of mid-June, and hit the high season after June 20th, but our guides made do. We couldn’t have managed this tour without the smooth transfers made possible by Dimitris’ team.

Hotel Reviews

Porto Veneziano hotel

Chania

Right on the port in Old Chania with incredible views. Food as well as nearby restaurants excellent. True luxury.

The Saint Vlassis Hotel

Naxos

This boutique hotel was incredible. Location was a kilometer from town center, but the privacy with our personal rooftop spa was a joy. Great restaurants within 1/2 kilometer, beaches if you want them 1 kilometer. Staff is fun, smart.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private 7 Villages Of Apokoronas Excursion

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxos Hiking _"Passage from ancient to modern History"

Naxos

It’s a hearty walk, but worth it!

Quality of Experience

The views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was informative and of great quality as a person

Transport

Group Trip to Delos from Mykonos

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The group guide was superb! And I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else!!

Transport

On our return, the boat from Delos was late, and we ran the 2 kilometers to get to the driver in time, but he’d already left. If the drivers would look to see when the boat pulled into the port, they could see when passengers would be coming. Taxis had to park that far from the boat dock, but could see the dock because the port was circular.

Mycenae & Ancient Corinth (optional)

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, our driver and guide was exceptional. Our driver acted as guide for much of the trip and I highly recommend him for anyone who wants to know more about Ancient Greece

Transport

Day Trip to Delphi

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide/driver is an exceptional resource; we highly recommend him.

Transport

Exploring Cape Sounio and the temple of Poseidon

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis Guided Tour & Acropolis Museum (private tour booked)

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guide was terrific!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Additional information and ability to navigate the crowds.

Transport

Valentine and Mathilde were both great.

We had a few issues pop up and they handled them immediately. Trip was amazing and very thankful we had someone to help with any issue that popped up.

Hotel Review

216-Suite Vintage Spirit un charme fou

Paris

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Louvre Private Family Adventure

Paris

Alexandra was an amazing host who kept our 4 and 7 year old entertained throughout. She was very informative for any questions adults had but being able to make the experience exciting for our two kids was unimaginable. Cannot recommend her enough

Quality of Experience

This was our first trip to Turkey, it will not be our last, we have had it on our plans for many years and when we finally managed the trip it has been beyond our expectations.

From early on we had a fluid contact with Berat, who understood clearly what we were looking to gain from our visit. The trip went 100% according to plan and at every stage of the trip the logistics of flights, guides and transport were superb.

Our local guides Onder and Alp were extremely knowledgeable and attentive to our questions. We enjoyed greatly our experiences with them.

We look forward to planning with KimKim our future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Pera Palace

Istanbul

A true gem and peaceful in the middle of a buzzing Istanbul. 19th Century splendor at its best.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Good location and an excellent Spa. Buffet style food plentiful but only average.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Changa Hotel

Antalya

Great people and very helpful, it is a rustic stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Akra Antalya Hotel

Antalya

Major US style resort hotel. The best breakfast I have ever had.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argos in Cappadocia

Nevsehir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Accessability to the rooms and common areas is difficult for people of limited mobility.

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

Location is perfect and service was very attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

A true thermal experience from the Roman times.

Cape Gelidonya Hike

Turkey

For the keen and experienced hikers. Views and experience are excellent of the Lycian Way. Our guide was enthusiastic and led the way with plenty of stops and hydration during the 9-hour hike.

The Eternal Flame of Chimera

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Explore Phaselis: Port city of the Lycian League

Turkey

Explore the Old Town and Antalya's Archaeological Heritage

Antalya

The museum and the guide Alp was outstanding.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Wine + Romance in Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Was just what we needed and was extraordinary. A perfect end to our visit to Capaddocia.

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Fantastic - hard to believe what you are experiencing and seeing. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enhanced our visit to this amazing site.

Ceramic Tradition in Avanos + Light Hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

The hike was great, the ceramics was a commercial spot.

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Outstanding and must be experienced.

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Everything you expect it to be.

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

We were unlucky with the rain, which may have influenced our review.

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

This tour could be improved.

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Amazing, amazing trip. Everything was perfect - the places we stayed, the car rental, the suggestions on hikes and we loved having the maps going from place to place. Thank you so much!

Carmen is fabulous! She created a truly special experience for my niece and I. She asked about what I enjoy and also what my niece enjoys and built the perfect itinerary for us. Carmen also made sure transportation was scheduled for when we arrived at the airport and scheduled a rental car for us to drive to Costa Brava. She really thought of everything.
Having our own personal tour guide, Mark, for La Sagrada Familia and the Gaudi house was amazing! We learned so much about Gaudi, his work, and the history of the area all without having to compete with a group of other people for the best views or the spot closest to the guide so we could hear. Mark made sure to include my 11 year old niece in the conversation as well, which was really wonderful! It made her much more engaged and was very enjoyable for her. Mark also provided incredible recommendations of restaurants and cafes. Carmen also booked a local cooking class for us! We LOVED it! It was so much fun and the instructors were such a delight. Our trip also included snorkeling and an incredibly special flamenco experience. This is one trip i will never forget.
I highly recommend Carmen and the Kimkim team to everyone!

Activity Reviews

Boquería Market Visit & Cooking Class

Barcelona

Snorkeling in the Mediterranean

Spain

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Mark was wonderful and it was such a pleasure touring the city and learning from him. La Sagarada Familia is a must for anyone traveling to Barcelona! I highly recommend Mark as a tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mark is incredibly knowledgeable and very easy to talk to

Transport

Flamenco Night

Barcelona

This was such a special experience! We felt truly immersed in the culture and enjoyed every second of it!

Quality of Experience

It was an intimate setting. Perfection

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Each of the tour guides was excellent, interested in what we wanted to know, and had a great sense of humor. We laughed a lot while we learned!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Bonay

Barcelona

The hotel in Barcelona was good but the rooms were a bit small. However, the peak season could be a factor in that. Also, it was noted that they don't provide washcloths, which might be a cultural difference to be aware of.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

The hotel in Madrid was wonderful. The staff, rooms, food, and bar were all great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sailing in the Mediterranean, Vineyard Visit & Wine Tasting

Spain

The sailing excursion was good. The captain of the yacht was cool and engaging. They served olives, cheese, crackers, beer, and water which was a nice touch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

The architecture tour in Madrid was well organized and informative. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tapas Experience in Madrid

Madrid

The tapas experience was fantastic! It was a highlight of the trip. The atmosphere, the food, and the service were all top-notch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Night

Barcelona

The Flamenco night was a bit disappointing because it didn't live up to our expectations of a traditional flamenco show. It was more like a whaling which wasn't what we were expecting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Madrid Classic Historic Bike Tour

Madrid

Some of us participated in the bike tour while others didn't, but those who went seemed to enjoy it.

We had a great honeymoon. Effie and the entire Be A Greek team were there for us the entire time and we were very happy with the service they provided. Our private tour guides, Theodora and Aphrodite were both very personable and informative. The places we stayed were also fantastic, if you can swing it we highly recommend Domes Noruz in Chania, Crete. Overall this was a once in lifetime trip that we hope to take again someday.

Hotel Reviews

Asha Luxury Suites

Santorini, Cyclades, Greece

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Domes Noruz Chania

Agioi Apostoloi Chania-Crete

Fantastic Resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santorini Island Discovery Small-group Tour

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Caldera Small-group Sunset Cruise with BBQ on board and Open Bar

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Honeymoon Couples Massage Sunset Session with Bath Soak

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chania Old Town Private Walking Tour with Food & Wines Tastings

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Executive 7-glass Greek Wine Tasting Session

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Private Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides, Dan, Quyen and Johnny, were all fantastic. We loved how much time we were able to spend interacting with local people. From staying at home stays to eating at homes to cooking lessons to learning to make fishing nets, we were exposed to so much local culture. This was a trip of a life time and our 4 teenagers were thoroughly engaged for our 15 days in Vietnam.
Kimkim and our guides did a tremendous job keeping our son with food allergies safe. We could not have done this on our own.
Thanks, Minh, for planning a great trip and for all of our guides and local people who helped make our trip so wonderfully memorable.

Wonderful exploration and perfect balance of adventure and leisure. Our guide, Andrew Kamaou was the best part of the trip. He knew the history and safaris well. He provide great insight on the various locations while also keeping us laughing! I teared up when we had to leave him behind to head to Diani beach.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Rudi

Nice facility, great staff and cooked to order meals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful staff. However, charged for items that were not made clear were not apart of the covered meals.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Nairobi

Beautiful hotel and great friendly staff. Great views of open terrain and wildlife.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashnil Mara Camp

Maasai Mara

Love the luxury tents!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Being able to see the wildlife in the open front tents.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lake Nakuru Lodge

Nakuru

Beautiful location and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No hot water for our showers.

Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Camp

Maji Moto

Great immersive cultural experience. I would like to commend the Maasai community for accepting and immersing our group into the Maasai culture. The Maasai warriors and women shared a special piece of Kenya that I will carry in my heart forever. To say this was a riveting cultural experience would be an understatement.

Authenticity & Character

Susan was very critical of everything the various staff did. It was very distracting from the cultural experience. She should learn to operate behind the scenes.

Location

Beautiful campsite.

Staff

The Masai warriors and women were a real treat. Very welcoming and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and neat bathrooms. Even the bed of leaves at the overnight camp was very neatly laid.

Diani Sea Resort

Great beautiful location. Nice eatery area and pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Most staff were friendly and helpful. That were are few individuals who were not friendly nor helpful. Always seemed irritated.

Cleanliness & Comfort

New linens. Towels were a faded red color. Rooms are in much need of some maintenance. Shower handle broke in 2 separate rooms.

Activity Reviews

Giraffe Center

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maji Moto Maasai "Olpul" Bush Camp

Maji Moto

First, I would like to commend the Masai community for accepting and immersing our group into the Masai culture. The Masai warriors and women shared a special piece of Kenya that I will carry in my heart forever. To say this was a riveting cultural experience would be an understatement. With that being said, I would be remised if I didn’t share my concerns with Susan, manager or overseer. As a liaison for the Masai people. I think you could be more effective behind the scenes of the operations of the Masai cultural camp. Through my own observation, your persistent interruptions, comments and corrections were condescending and ill mannered. For someone who has lived among the Masai for 13 years I found some of your comments to be culturally insensitive. Your presence gave the experience a corporation type feeling as opposed to providing historical and cultural value. You were a distraction and made this experience seem like a workforce instead of authentic Masai culture. I encourage you to read about African history and colonization, cultural relativism, cultural influence and ethnocentrism to understand better your own prejudices and better effect change among the Masai community. I hope this criticism is constructive and I would be more than happy to provide additional guidance upon request.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diani Beach Activities

Diani Beach

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Street Kid City tour

Nairobi

We decided to skip this experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Nakuru National Park Game Drive

Nakuru

Quality of Experience

Food

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Naivasha Boat Tour

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tamer was a great and very responsive planner with us. He worked with us on redesigning the itinerary a few times to prioritize seeing as much of Ecuador as possible even if it meant some long days of travel (he did warn us!) he helped all the way through planning and then was very communicative while we were on our trip as well, helping to suggest restaurants or other activities if we wanted to add / change up our days. Overall, highly recommend Tamer for helping you plan your Ecuadorian vacation!

Just returned from a custom self-driving tour of Sicily. We had a wonderful time as we circled Sicily. Andrea Gambino arranged the entire trip and his knowledge and experience translanted into a trip that we will never forget. We not only had wonderful accommodations but one of the best rooms in each hotel visited. We loved staying in the heart of the old towns that allowed us to really experience the vib of each town.
We really enjoy self-driving tours as that allows us to allocate out time for what we want to see and skip the rest.
We love to travel and have visited over 90 countries.

Hotel Review

Giardino sul Duomo

Ragusa Ibla

Amazing hotel and location. We really appreciated being able to park our car close by. From our balcony we could see for miles in most directions.

Authenticity & Character

The view

Location

Great views without the city bustle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Mount Etna half-day trip (group experience)

Italy

Sold as a 4 wheel drive Jeep tour but in reality we were stuck in the back road of a 9 passenger van with extremely limited views. We were lead to believe that we were to visit the "Volcano" only to learn that they only drive halfway up and take the group an a circular hike around the side of mountain.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Don't call the trip a Jeep trip if there is no Jeep.

Absolutely loved working with KimKim Travel and Abdellah on planning my Moroccan Baby Moon. My husband and I are avid world travelers but have never used a travel agency or tour guide preferring always to do it on our own but KimKim and the local specialist Abdellah made it an amazing experience. They planned a 8 day trip for me in 24 hours so that we could leave the next week and they were able to cater to ALL of the stops and excursions I wanted to take. The website and interactive itinerary might be the best I have ever seen with all the pictures of the stops, tours, hotels, and map. For someone that is used to doing all the research on my own, I was so reassuring to have it all in one click at my fingertips. During the tour I was able to easy text and call with any questions or last minute changes and they bent over backwards to accommodate making us feel like we were truly traveling first class. We also had a fabulous informative local tour guide who stayed with us 24 hours and drove us between all the stops, Ayoub. My husband and I can't thank him enough for putting up with us for 8 days straight between extra requests ( lots of stops since I am pregnant) and changes to itineraries last minute. The best part about the trip was having Ayoub with us to explain the local culture and teach us the language and customs. He was more like family by the end of the trip which put us at ease and was able to cater to both my husband and I which can be alot! I can't wait to recommend this trip to anyone considering Morocco and to say, don't plan it on your own, use KimKim, Abdellah and request Ayoub to drive you around.

Nikola was attentive to our traveling needs, when our flight was delayed he worked with the providers to ensure that we were able to reschedule arrival times and excursions. The local guides that were chosen were top notch, Nikola made it a point every evening to check in to ensure all went well. The superior customer service that was provided by all parties is a testament to the character of your organization and I will be delighted to book with you again on our return to your lovely country.

It’s been a year since I travelled to Iceland and any time someone mentions travelling to this country, I recommend they go and check out the Kim-Kim team.
Francesca was amazing to deal with. She made the trip worry free (from the car rentals to hotel check ins to all the fun planned activities). This trip really was stress and worry free.
Words honestly can’t describe how amazing this trip was💕💕

Hotel Review

Viking Café Guesthouse

Hofn

The staff were amazing and extremely friendly and helpful…the views weren’t half bad either 😜

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

Amazing experience. Beautifully designed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike

Iceland

The guides were very resourceful and provided amazing information

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sarah was really wonderful in her choices of both our activities and hotels. She planned everything—from drivers to schedules. We particularly enjoyed Hotel Cornaro in Split. And our skipper Marko who took us between Split and Hvar was fabulous: he took us to his favorite spots to visit, eat (under a canopy of olive trees), and swim. Then Grgo who took us on a winery tour in Hvar—including his own family’s winery—was a gracious host. We were able to visit several places and get insiders’ views from our drivers and hosts. We learned so much about the history of Croatia and what it’s like to be a Croatian today. I recommend using KimKim and Sarah and Ivan 100%!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Porto

Dubrovnik

This is a very new hotel and lovely inside. Our room was spacious and super well designed. It is conveniently located near a bus stop so we could easily get to the old town and anything we wanted to do. There are markets nearby too. And the food—including the breakfast—is really good. We had lunch and dinner there, and they took time and care preparing our food. Highly recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In a more peaceful residential neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

So clean and new

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort

Hvar

Although a little dated, you can’t beat the incredible pool with the view of the Adriatic. The staff is very helpful, considering how many people stay there. The breakfast is amazing with so many choices. The only negative we experienced was in our bathroom where the sink and faucet were badly designed, and you couldn’t rinse your hands without splashing pools of water everywhere, and the bathtub/shower was poorly draining. Overall, I would recommend this hotel for the view and the food and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view of the Adriatic

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cornaro Hotel

Split

Very nice hotel! Great rooms and spectacular service. The breakfast was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within walking distance of everything in Split

Staff

So helpful and nice. They helped us with dinner reservations and answered every question.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Game of Thrones Tour

Dubrovnik

Tonka took us on a really fun Game of Thrones tour! She shared her own experience as an extra on the show. She told us about the history of Dubrovnik and shared some of her own personal story. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar Wine Tasting Excursion

Hvar

Grgo was really wonderful. He took us to two wineries, including his own family’s. He was so generous in his time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Motor Boat Excursion to Brač & the Pakleni Islands (end in Hvar)

Split

Marko was super wonderful and took us to his favorites spots to eat and visit and swim! Wonderful day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport