Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was great and a wonderful way to see some of the country. Our driver, loxley, was great. Incredibly knowledgeable and nice!
The leopards nest was a great experience - we were the only ones in the resort so we had a private experience!
Next stop was Mahoora Tented Safari - for those needing AC, it was a little warm in the tents but the staff at the camp were absolutely wonderful! And the food was incredibly good.

Thank you again!

Tamer was really helpful, especially when we had last minute changes on our trip. We appreciated the hospitality and assistance he provided. He is very knowledgeable and accommodating.

The hotels we stayed at were all very lovely. I especially enjoyed the hotel in Cotopaxi and in Quito.

We had a handful of guides. Danny was very eager and wanted to give us the best experience. Viví was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing the Galapagos with us.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Helpful staff and service! Very accommodating and beautiful rooms with great AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

Great location in town, breakfast was yummy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Great food and ambiance. It rained in the evening and we had a lovely lounge room to play board games or watch TV. The room was cozy with its own fireplace. Lots of options for things to do at the resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Very clean, breakfast was a delicious continental spread. We had the option for to go breakfast as well and the hotel was accommodating when we didn’t want a sandwich for breakfast. Rooms were very clean. No AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

Walked around town and waited to go to the airport.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Beautiful area to see, lots of hiking and photo opportunities. Cute town to visit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Beautiful to see when there aren’t a bunch of clouds. Lunch isn’t really an option during their excursion so it would be nice to have a snack or to go lunch option. Lots of hiking options

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Cool to see the cloud forest and hike. Waterfalls were cool to see. Cable car was slightly terrifying but worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

We had a modified day to snorkel instead. The snorkeling was alright mainly because it was cloudy and a bit cold. The guide was helpful and interactive with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Tortoises were very cool to see. The lunch was delicious. The Darwin center wasn’t terribly busy and cool to see baby tortoises and the work that the company is doing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

We had a tremendously interesting and enjoyable 2 weeks in Cambodia, thanks to Steve & Travel Asia a la Carte. One of their sample itineraries on kimkim.com mostly matched our wish list and Steve tweaked it to accommodate all our requests. He was extremely responsive, replying to queries within a day and offering good advice, even stopped by our hotel to say hello. The itinerary was wonderfully varied, well-organised, and went off seamlessly, at a packed but manageable pace, with great guides & drivers, nice hotels. Steve & his team took much of the stress out of travelling in a developing country and we have no hesitation in recommending them.
Of the places on our route, of course we were thrilled to finally visit Angkor Wat, Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Phrom & other stunning sites in Angkor park. But we also really enjoyed the Apopo "HeroRats" demo, Phare Circus, Kampot’s shophouses and Old Cinema Hotel, Kep's seafood market, La Plantation, Santuk silk farm, our beach interval on Koh Rong, the heritage tour of Phnom Penh by tuk-tuk & tablet, and driving through the countryside. The food experiences were a riot, from fried tarantula to stuffed frog, nam ben chok noodles to authentic Portuguese cuisine in Kampot!
Best of all was the lovely Cambodian people we met, their ready smiles, openness and sense of humour, despite their horrific recent history that touched almost every family. The children just melt your heart and their families seem happy to engage. Even the persistent vendors were more friendly than pesky. Our guides were highly professional and delightful personalities, especially Ms Dy and Mr Sothea, who made late changes to cater to our interests and comfort. We felt in safe hands with the drivers, especially Mr Ya and Mr Date (sp?), who always aircon-cooled the car before we got back in – we felt thoroughly pampered. All the hotel staff were smiling & obliging, especially Tina, Chanthy and Sophan (possibly the most attentive waiter we've ever met) at Sohkkak Boutique Resort.

Hotel Reviews

Vakara Hotel

Kep

Very nice, new, modern hotel, on the edge of a national park and not near Kep town, so better to have your own transport. Our spacious deluxe room (finally with a sofa!) plus large balcony looked down on the huge swimming pool and towards the forested hills of the national park. We saw no other guests (only 7 of the 70 rooms were occupied the night we stayed) so it was extremely quiet. Breakfast, served by the pool, was fine, with 11 set menus to choose from!

Authenticity & Character

Not much character but ideal for families, with chalets on the grounds, kid's playground, big pool and lots of space to run around

Location

Staff

Staff were all smiles and eager to please

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sparkling clean. Comfy firm mattress.

Long Set Resort

Koh Rong

Hotel is on a gorgeous beach - turquoise sea & powdery white sand shaded by palms - but there weren't enough sunbeds for guests (and you're warned not to lie on a towel on the sand due to sandflies). Decent beach-facing restaurant/bar serving fun cocktails and okay food. Resort could use a refresh, eg worn cushions, broken sunbeds, misaligned doors. Room just adequate but well-cooled. Occasional very brief power cuts, not really bothersome. Complimentary use of kayaks & SUPs, snorkel mask & fins, small gym.

Authenticity & Character

Typical mid-range beach hotel in the tropics, not luxe but fine for 3 nights

Location

Only half-hour boat ride from Sihanoukville port. Short stroll from pier.

Staff

Lovely, smiley, obliging staff. Runy served us the most - she's a sweetheart. Louise was great about rebooking our snorkelling trip.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy bed. Good aircon & shower pressure. Toilet paper has to be thrown in a lidded bin, not flushed, but room is cleaned daily.

Sokkhak Boutique Resort

Siem Reap City

Beautifully appointed 12-room hotel. Small pool but great for cooling off in. Very good breakfast choices, cooked to order. Always smiling, helpful staff who greet you with cold towels & tea every time you return, book remorks, recommend restaurants (albeit in the same Chanrey Tree Group), break up US$100 bills, tell you about Sin Sisamouth. Deluxe room not big, no sofa or chair, but has balcony. Very comfortable firm bed. Powerful aircon and shower pressure.

Authenticity & Character

Elegant local furnishings and decor, lotus flower arrangements, lush landscaping in pool area

Location

10 minutes remork ride from town. But just down the road from Apopo visitor centre

Staff

Tina, who obligingly sprayed my husband's legs with the hotel's lemongrass-scented bug repellent every morning! Sophan, super-attentive waiter who remembered our breakfast preferences and just a very sweet guy. Chanthy who brought cold drinks & cold beer to our room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattress was firm and very comfy, as in all the hotels we stayed at

Penh House

Phnom Penh

Pretty, greenery-filled hotel in great neighbourhood, near the palace. Lovely, small, rooftop pool with city views. Good breakfast spread with enough Western & local options eg eggs cooked to order, noodle soup, and plenty of assorted fruit. Deluxe room tastefully done with effective aircon & little balcony; unfortunately faint odour of drains in bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Exhibition of photos of Angkor in lobby

Location

Surrounded by small eateries & cool shops

Staff

Helpful in giving directions, booking tuk-tuk

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean overall but occasional slight sewage odour in bathroom

Hotel Old Cinema

Kampot

Absolute gem of a hotel. Our favourite of the trip. Excellent adaptive reuse of a former cinema building and superbly restored, then beautifully decorated. Aesthetically pleasing details in every corner. Even the breakfast was a visual (and tasteful) delight. Lovely little restaurant/bar. Tiny pool inside but open to the sky. Our superior room with king bed had a small balcony facing the indoor garden, very quiet.

Authenticity & Character

See above

Location

In centre of town, surrounded by French colonial-era shophouses. Walkable to many restaurants, open-air food court and the riverfront promenade.

Staff

Jilly was great, happy to answer questions on history of the hotel and developments in Kampot, and book restaurants for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

High threadcount linen and firm mattress made for best sleep

Activity Reviews

Apopo HeroRats, Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, Noodle Village, & Ta Phrom

Siem Reap

At our request to avoid heat exhaustion, Steve and Dy rejigged the schedule: we visited Apopo and Ta Phrom in the morning, returned to hotel 12-2pm, went out again at 2pm for late lunch and visit to Banteay Srei, skipping Banteay Samre. This was perfect and we were able to enjoy the temple visits much more. Apopo HeroRats: must-do, fluently narrated by guides who know their stuff. The landmine-detecting demo was fascinating and HeroRats so cute; we "adopted" one for a year for US$100 - an eminently worthy cause. Ta Phrom: very atmospheric to wander around, even with people lining up to take the iconic photo of tree roots gripping the ruins. Ms Dy skillfully manoeuvred us into strategic spots and snapped some great pictures. Interesting to learn about the hollow spong trees. Noodle village: deliciously different nam ben chok rice noodles, eaten with 2 sauces & fresh veggies. Also tried stuffed frog at a roadside stall in Pradak village and almost tried whole roast pig-on-a-spit but it was still roasting. Banteay Srei: must-see, exquisite carvings in dusky pink sandstone, well preserved. A bridal couple in traditional costume were taking photos there, which added to the ambience. The drive there through villages & countryside was interesting too, stopped to buy palm sugar.

Quality of Experience

We loved the variety of experiences interspersed between temple visits

Food

Loved the nam ben chok noodles. Stuffed frog with tamarind paste was a first for us - yummy.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy was an outstanding guide, flexible, open, chatty, answering questions fully, diligently pointing out details, repeatedly explaining till we got it. We learned a lot from her. Also a born story-teller, with an extraordinary family history of survival and achievement. With our careful driver Mr Ya we felt we were in responsible hands. He was a sweetie too.

Transport

Mr Ya was unfailingly punctual, his car comfortable and clean.

Tuol Sleng, Central Market & Killing Fields in the afternoon

Phnom Penh

Central Market was worth visiting even though we're not avid shoppers. The building is humongous and houses scores of stalls selling everything, from gems to galangal, plus cubicles where you can get a massage, hair wash, nail varnish. The food stalls section was fun; we snacked on grilled squid there, would've tried other stuff that looked interesting if we knew what it was (our guide didn't come in with us). Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and killing fields were even grimmer than anticipated, but well organised with a set route (no guide necessary) and descriptive boards in English. Glad we dressed appropriately.

Quality of Experience

S21 heightens appreciation of the Cambodian recovery and resilience of its long-suffering people, why they'd rather put up with a dynastic autocracy than oppose it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide could accompany guests into Central Market to help with translation & questions, instead of waiting outside.

Transport

Car & driver was always waiting for us

Kampot Walking Tour

Kampot

Very interesting tour on foot and by car of the French colonial-era shophouses and riverside cinema-turned-Starbucks, Cham Muslim village & mosque, Chinese temple & school, Buddhist monastery, gilded wat & funerary stupas. Many photogenic scenes of monks soliciting alms, entire families on motorbikes, massive durian roundabout, dating couples on the riverside promenade ...

Quality of Experience

Charming laid-back town, less touristed, yet has incredibly good local & European cuisine. At La Tertulia, we had the best Portuguese meals outside of Portugal, so good we ate there both nights.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea would tell us the plan for the day so we knew what to expect, then flexibly adjust it along the way depending on our interests. He thoughtfully or humorously answered every question, took us to his favourite eatery for lunch, escorted us across roads safely, just looked after us like family! He made the trip more local and authentic than if we'd done it ourselves, and was great company throughout.

Transport

Mr Date was at our beck and call, always on time, his car spotless, his cooler full of ice water

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} with La Plantation pepper farm visit

Cambodia

Fascinating tour of a sustainably-run pepper plantation overlooking a lake, enjoyed the pepper tasting in a beautiful old Khmer house. Learned a lot about pepper cultivation and processing, eg that black, white, green, red peppercorns come from the same stem. Bought all our gifts for home at the shop.

Quality of Experience

Admirable agritourism project. Happy to support a social enterprise that funds a school for its rural community and helps other small farmers

Food

Delicious pepper-themed 3-course lunch at the restaurant, trying the various pepper-infused sauces.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative in-house guide who welcomed questions

Transport

Mr Date and his 'golden elephant' safely transported us over potholed dirt roads

Grand Circuit morning tour

Siem Reap

We visited 3 more sites in Angkor Archaeological Park this morning. Each had its own character and distinctiveness. Especially enjoyed Preah Khan and the WMF interpretation gallery there. The rectangular symmetrical layout, surprising 2-storey columned sanctum, massive garudas, graceful apsaras, made it special. Also loved smaller-scale Ta Som, its well-preserved four-faced towers and unusual devatas. East Mebon was interesting as a brick-built temple to honour an earlier king’s parents and its stone elephants an irresistible photo op. After clambering around its big laterite steps under a blazing sun we were happy to call it a day.

Quality of Experience

Glad we added an extra day in Siem Reap to see these, particularly Preah Khan, in addition to the more famous wats.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy again expertly guided us through all 3 sites, explaining what's known about the history, the scholarly theories, pointing out details and distinctive features. In Preah Khan's hall of dancers she demonstrated the hand gestures of the apsara carvings that Khmer dancers still practise today. She also helped us old fogies climb the high uneven steps and led us on easier paths. We could not have asked for a better-informed or more considerate guide.

Transport

Mr Ya waited for us at each stop. Nothing beats an aircon car to ferry you around in the heat!

Kep Crab Market

Kep

Very fun and tasty grazing on bbq squid and deep-fried mini-crabs as Mr Sothea guided us through this seafood market by the beach. Tubs of fresh blue crabs, octopus, squid, shrimp, big pots steaming over wood fires, assorted fresh fish grilled over charcoal - worth coming to Kep for this market, as well as the sun setting behind the surreal giant crab sculpture and seeing local families enjoying themselves on the beach.

Quality of Experience

After a scrumptious meal of crab, fish, shrimp & squid the previous night (less than US$50 for 4 people!) at one of the nearby seafood restaurants, good to see where it all came from.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea always looking out for us. My husband the foodie was tempted to sample the fresh local oysters on display in the market but Sothea sensibly cautioned against it as we had a long drive to Phnom Penh ahead of us.

Transport

Our route included a couple stretches of really bumpy, rutted, dusty roads that Mr Date handled with aplomb

Sunset river cruise

Kampot

Relaxing cruise upriver, passing fishing boats heading the other way out to sea. Typical SE Asian rural scenes of mangroves, coconut groves, fish traps, riverside tourist chalets. Very pleasant as the sun sank behind Bokor mtn.

Quality of Experience

Fun to dangle legs over side of wooden boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea bought fresh coconuts, beer & snacks for the ride. Friendly boatman, tried to find fireflies for us.

Transport

Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat B - open seating in the rear half of the middle seating area)

Siem Reap

High-energy dancing, acrobatics, juggling, mime, live music on Khmer instruments and drums - with a creative Cambodian angle ... great fun for a good cause.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful experience of contemporary Cambodia and its talented youngsters

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy met us at the venue, showed us all the food stations, took us to our seats under the tent. Mr Ya waited for us with his car till the show ended.

Transport

Appreciated the door-to-door service, particularly as many people were trying to flag tuk-tuks on the street after the show.

Afternoon and sunset at Angkor Wat

Siem Reap

We visited Angkor Wat at midday when it was 33C and remember it through a heat haze. There's no shade on the causeway, no breeze around the wat. Ms Dy valiantly kept us going with rest breaks and fanning as we struggled to pay attention to her detailed commentary. We had no energy to clamber to the top level. That said, the site is breathtaking & baffling (how did Khmers build this in the 12th century?!) and the long bas-relief galleries stunning, especially the Churning of the Sea of Milk which I'd long wanted to see. We did not stay for sunset as my husband was exhausted from the heat and wanted to return to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

see above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy’s deep knowledge and patient explanation of the sites, Hindu-Buddhist hybridity, deities, S2 and J7, restoration & conservation with minimal intervention, and much much more.

Transport

Remork driver drove safely, had iced water in his cooler

Angkor Thom (morning) by remork

Siem Reap

Exhilarating to finally be in Angkor park and then within the Bayon, discerning the differences in enigmatic facial expressions on the towers; having details in the bas reliefs explained by our guide; seeing the actual length of the Terrace of Elephants. The vast size of the park and how green it is dawns on you as you putter around it by remork.

Quality of Experience

The scale, artistry, exactitude (in the 12th century!) similar in jaw-drop factor to Petra (tho that was 1000 years earlier). Apart from the romance of the jungle setting, the sheer engineering involved is mind-boggling & mystifying

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Ms Dy's excellent commentary really added value to the experience. She took some fantastic photos for us too.

Transport

Fun to tour by remork, iced water provided too.

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Skuon & Spean Praptos, Kompong Khleang,

Cambodia

Very interesting and fun stops on the long drive to Siem Reap. Husband ate a fried tarantula for bragging rights. I tried a fried grasshopper - crunchy. Learned a lot about silkworms at Santuk silk farm, first time we saw up close silk threads produced from the cocoon; bought some silk scarves. Enjoyed the boat ride on Tonle Sap to Kompong Khleang and learning about life on the lake, seeing the kids playing in the water (though surprised there's no treatment of sewage at all before it goes into the lake!)

Quality of Experience

The variety of interesting experiences

Food

Tasty, simple lunch at the silk farm

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sovann enthusiastically and earnestly answered our many questions, and we could understand about 60% but didn't want to keep asking him to repeat himself.

Transport

Safe driving all the way by Mr Ya

Lunch at Srah Srang

Siem Reap

Tasty set lunch at tourist restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Food

Found out there are regional variations of fish amok!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phnom Penh Heritage Tour

Phnom Penh

Novel way to tour historical sites with narration & old photos/maps on a tablet - brilliant idea, particularly when guide's English is hard to follow. We got off the tuk-tuk to take photos at some stops and also entered a couple of the 22 sites.

Quality of Experience

Fun new way to sightsee

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Always fun to travel by tuk tuk.

National Museum & Royal Palace

Phnom Penh

Palace: Besides gawking at the ornate architecture, it was interesting to watch the monks & local devotees. Museum: beautiful French-designed, Khmer-style building around a lovely courtyard, worth visiting even if not too interested in the exhibits, which are mostly pre-Angkorian and Angkorian sculpture and carvings - annotated, including those returned to Cambodia by US, UK etc.

Quality of Experience

Both places evocative - the museum evoking French colonial patronage , the palace the reverence for the monarchy especially former King Sihanouk (who was imprisoned there by the Khmer Rouge).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Bunna was our guide (subbing for Mr Sovann, who was busy that day) - more understandable English than Mr Sovann and very jolly. Tried hard to explain the Sisowath and Norodom royal family trees but we were still confused!

Transport

So cool to have an aircon car waiting for us!

There were good things and not so good things
1. Good things -
a. very quick replies during planning process and during the trip;
b. desire to help ;
c, amazing guides
2. Not so good
a. Car trips took definitely longer than marked on the plan
b. Non tailoring of itinerary - some of the places we went were very touristy and cater to more senior people (e.g. hanging bridges) - it would have been great if they could have worked with us starting with understanding who the clients are, how active, what type of things we are interested in so that the itinerary could have been tailored. It felt a very standard itinerary. some agencies I have worked with have used a survey followed by a conversation to gather this info
c. Lack of good connections with local aviation company - I found out about changes in flight hours through fellow travelers that were using another agency. Also we had asked for a specific flight that was told several times it didn´t exist and in the end it did. That added around 5 hours to our trip ...
d. No water during car travels and they were long....

Angel was fabulous! Unfortunately, my trip was shortened considerably because I fell and fractured my ankle. In 2 places. The 2 excursions I did go on were both led by great guides. The 2 hotels were nice and staff very helpful.

The trip was always going to be difficult as we travelled with a two and four year old. That said, we were a bit disappointed in how the itinerary was planned given that we emphasized multiple times that we were travelling with kids.

For example - There were multiple days of 5 hour round trip driving only to see a monkey or a temple for 45 minutes. It’s impossible to have a two year old sit through all of that. Ultimately we ended up cancelling about half the itinerary

I think Trang did her best when we gave her this feedback, but the service wasn’t as tailored to our situation as we expected it to be having planned it four months in advance and providing all that information about our needs. The itinerary was just basic and didn’t really get altered at all for our needs. Also there was a big issue with Visas, where we weren’t informed that we needed to take care of them or even promoted to do so, so the trip almost didn’t happen at all

On the positive side: the country is beautiful, the hotels were nice, and guide in Hoi An specifically was amazing

I don’t know where to start…..from the first message from Lacey, our KimKim travel agent for Thailand, to the last pickup from our resort to go to the airport to fly home, it was truly an unbelievably amazing experience.
Lacey was attentive to what we wanted to experience and super responsive. She made me feel at ease for the whole trip.
Every guide, driver, and activity director were exactly where she scheduled them to be for us and on time or even early. We even had an unexpected emergency and had to return home early and Lacey re-arranged everything.
Our Bangkok guide, Pom, was fantastic. Very friendly and knowledgeable. We adored him!
We went to the railway market and the floating market which I recommend doing both! So fun.
Our hotel in Bangkok, Galleria 10, was clean and spacious and the breakfast was good. We felt safe to walk everywhere.
Our stay at Zeavola resort in Koh Phi Phi was the highlight of our trip. Simply amazing! It’s a more secluded eco-resort which is exactly what we wanted. The breakfast is incredible! We took a long boat tour of the islands booked through the resort. Snorkeling was great.
Unfortunately we had to leave before our three nights in Phuket but did get to visit The Slate resort and the beach right by it for a few hours. In just that small amount of time spent there, we knew that Phi Phi was more our style for vacation but the Slate was a beautiful resort.
Overall, I would highly recommend booking through KimKim and especially Lacey! We want to return to Thailand for a longer stay sometime and will definitely use them again.
Everything went smoothly and stress-free.

Our experience pre-trip with KimKim and their trip specialists was simple, straightforward, and super helpful. I've never used a travel service to plan a trip before. Wow, does it make things easy! We only had general ideas of things we would like to do and no specific location within Costa Rica we wanted to visit, so it was so helpful to have knowledgeable input in the planning. Once in country, we had wonderful drivers who got us where we needed to go. Our guides for the two tours we took were phenomenal. In Monteverde, Micha, a freelance guide, took us on a birdwatching tour at the Curi Cancha Reserve. Micha grew up in Monteverde, has spent his whole life observing the birds and wildlife in the area, and was so kind and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our time with him so much and highly recommend his service. In Tamarindo we took a boat tour up the Tempisque River with our guide Mauricio, who was so attentive to the needs of the group, very observant and knowledgeable. He clearly enjoyed the views of rare birds we came across and helped us identify the birds we saw from the bus. One of the other highlights of our time in Costa Rica was the food. We so enjoyed the local fare, simple as it is, and some very excellent coffee in both locations. We have nothing but good things to say about KimKim and will use them again. Pura vida!

Hotel Reviews

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

The Mar Inn is very nice. We only spent a couple of nights here and were fairly busy during our stay, but it fulfilled the need for a quiet, clean place to sleep. The staff were helpful at check-in and in helping us figure out the included breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It felt very much a part of the town and not very Americanized.

Location

Mar Inn is a close walk to the small downtown of Monteverde but definitely up a steep hill.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom was very clean and neat, the bed made each day. The bed could be considered hard for people not accustomed to a firmer mattress. Our room had a neat little sitting room with full windows which was nice.

The Beach Bungalows - Adults Only

Tamarindo

If you're looking for a quiet, more private feel for your accommodation, The Beach Bungalows fits the bill! Nico and Kim are the owner and manager of this beautiful bed and breakfast spot just up the street from the main streets in Tamarindo. The grounds are clean, safe, and there are thoughtful touches throughout (water bottle daily replenished in our room, a full breakfast provided each morning, shared kitchen space, towels for the pool, etc). Each bungalow is private access, has a fully functioning toilet, and a/c. We loved our stay here!

Authenticity & Character

It felt very beachy and tropical.

Location

We loved that our hotel was a quiet retreat from the noise of downtown Tamarindo but close enough to be a very easy walk to anything we wanted.

Staff

They were engaging and helpful. Kim especially put care and time into knowing each guest and helping with recommendations and offering to fill needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms clean and neat, cleaned each day, a/c in each bungalow, pool swept and cleaned frequently.

Activity Reviews

Private Curi-Cancha Bird-Watching Experience

Monteverde

Our guide, Micha, was so great. He took us to all the best spots he know for seeing birds and wildlife and was so knowledgeable and kind. He went out of his way to show us the beauty of his hometown. It was exciting for us to be able to see so many birds even though it was really windy that day. We even got to see a Motmot!

Quality of Experience

We had so much fun exploring the local wildlife and the area around Monteverde

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Micha really helped us find the birds, identify them, and told us so much about the area.

Transport

Car was very clean and new

Self-Guided Playa Langosta Crossing and Beach Day

Tamarindo

If you're looking for a beach experience away from the crowds and clubs, this is it. The surf was beautiful and the waves so much fun to play in. Getting to Playa Langosta from Tamarindo is definitely a bit of a walk up the beach and around the point. So be prepared for a long walk. But the beach was beautiful and there was lovely views all the way up and tide pools to explore at low tide on our walk back to town.

Quality of Experience

Palo Verde National Park Safari Cruise

Costa Rica

We weren't sure what to expect for this tour but it turned out to be a fun adventure! The boat tour itself was lovely. Lots of birds and wildlife to see. Our guide, Mauricio, was fabulous! We spent quite a bit of the day on the bus travelling to the boat and also picking up other guests, but he did his best to help us see wildlife from the bus along the way and tell us about the areas we were driving through. The included lunch was so cool. We stopped at a local ranch to enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch, cooked right there over wood. followed by Costa Rican coffee. It was lovely! We also got a bonus stop at a town known for traditional pottery where we were given a demonstration.

Quality of Experience

Food

I really enjoy the traditional Costa Rican fare and this was especially delicous!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mauricio was engaging, knowledgeable and passionate about his country.

Transport

This rating may be misleading - we had a great experience on the transport, but they had to make an extra trip to pick up guests before backtracking to the boat so some of us spent quite a bit more time on the bus than we expected. At the end of the tour our guide, Mauricio, did arrange to have a different bus meet us partway, which was very kind.

The local guides are all professional and catered to our needs, even the drivers. They can be very flexible since we’re a small group. Thank you Trang for all the arrangements

I had a fabulous 4 days on San Cristobal, Santa Cruz Islands and day trip to Santa Fe island. The guides were helpful and knowledgeable. I especially liked the boat ride, snorkel and walk to see the blue footed boobies. The day trip on the Galaxy Daily boat, plus the snorkelling, was terrific. Thank you, John, Edison, Mauricio, and Rita for all you help and guidance!!
Sharell from Canada

My wife and I decided to go to Costa Rica for our anniversary fairly last minute. Neither of us speaks Spanish or had much knowledge about the country. Kimkim saved me hours of research by offering a buffet of options for what we wanted to do during our trip and then Gustavo helped us to customize the recommended itinerary to fit what we wanted. Specifically, when he heard that we were interested in bird watching, he added Monte Verde to our itinerary which turned out to be a highlight of the trip. In country everything worked flawlessly. We were picked up on time for each of our rides to new locations or tours. Not having to deal with the stress of driving and getting to just enjoy the country side was almost worth booking through kimkim all by itself. Bottom line, we will be recommending kimkim's service to anyone we know who is considering a trip and doesn't want to do all the research and booking themselves.

We had an amazing time in Portugal thanks to Pedro and his team. Throughout the whole process they were very responsive and all of the recommended excursions were great. During our trip they gave us daily updates and were available with any additional questions we had so we could just enjoy our trip stress free. The country was very welcoming and friendly to us. I highly recommend using Pedro and his team.

Because of a diplomatic situation, we were unable to obtain required visas and didn't think that we were coming until about 4 days before our trip. Ravi was able reorganize our entire trip on very short notice. We were very thankful.

Our guide in Jaipur was outstanding! He knew and shared all sorts of information but also when we asked questions where he didn't know the answers he was honest and said that he didn't know -- rather than make up something. In addition to the regular sight-seeing destinations, he helped us navigate buying a replacement phone charging cord and work out a place to go running the next morning. Our driver was also terrific although at times we felt a little too pampered. At one point he wanted us to get back into the car to drive about 300 metres down the road. I was so tired of sitting (5+ hours already that day) that I insisted on walking. And it turns out that I was faster on foot than he was in the car.

I was less impressed with the other guides. In particular, the guide from Delhi shortened the days from what was promised then asked, "if there's anything else you want to see?" but because we had just arrived, we didn't know what to suggest. So we ended up dumped back at the hotel early and feeling a bit trapped. By the end of the trip, we were more comfortable taking a Tuktuk or the metro on our own, but we needed more structure on the first few days.

I was also particularly unimpressed with the guide from Agra who asked if we wanted to see how the marble inlay work was done by craftsmen and then took us to what was essentially either a tourist scam or abusive labour practices. They told us about how many hours went into creating these beautiful tables (all supposedly by hand by workers from the families of the original crasftmen) and then wanted to sell them to us for quite low prices. They had a huge showroom of tables which would have represented millions of hours of work so either this story was untrue or they are paying some huge number of people inappropriately low (slave labour) wages. When I refused to buy anything at all, the sales pitch ratcheted up a notch and in order to leave we were led through more and more showrooms of items for sale. I would not have agreed to go to this place except that I misunderstood and thought that it was a museum where we paid for admission (not a sales scam).

The safari guides at Ranthambore were ok. The morning guide was great, but in the afternoon the guests in the front seat were from India and we were in the back seat. The guide didn't speak English well (or at least he chose to speak to them in a local language) and the Indian guests ended up translating for us. But they only translated about half of the information and we missed a lot. I kept having to ask what the guide was saying. My advice to other safari riders is to sit in the front seat and ask questions.

All the hotels on the trip were great. The one in Ranthambore and the one in Jaipur were particularly lovely and the staff were pleasant. The food was yummy. We ate most dinners in the hotels and almost always had too much food.

One of my favourite parts of the trip was the cooking class with a family in the Jaipur area. It was very special to be welcomed into someone's home and spend time together. We didn't do the market or henna (as advertised in the itinerary), but I didn't care because instead we spent a long time cooking and talking and then eating together. During our conversations, they gave us instructions and encouragement to take the metro and tuktuks ourselves to explore Jaipur that evening. We followed their advice and found our way.

All in all, it was a great trip and while I've provided some negative feedback (in hopes of helping Active India improve), I am very satisfied. I would recommend Active India to other travellers who (like me) didn't have the time, experience, or confidence to arrange all the details of their trip on their own.

Hotel Review

Dera Rawatsar

Very impressed. The owners were particularly welcoming and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

We had a lovely big room with a seating room and our own balcony.

Location

close to the metro and easy to take a Tuktuk from the bus station.

Staff

Friendly. I felt a bit smothered though. I don't need 3 people to show me to my room and carry up our two small cases.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jaipur Sightseeing Tour

Jaipur

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide was terrific. Best one of the trip.

Cooking Class, and Dinner with Local Family

Jaipur

This was the best part of my trip although we did not go the market at all. But having the time with this family was wonderful.

Food

It was delicious. She said she would send the recipes on WhatsApp and we have already been in contact.

Taj Mahal at Sunset

Agra

We didn't go at sunset as promised. We went earlier and were there for much less than 3 hours.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It wasn't clear what choices we had about timing etc.

Guided Heritage Walk through Lodhi Garden

Delhi

It was a bit too short. The guide skipped the bonsai garden and I agreed to skip it thinking that there were more other things to see. But then when we got to the other end of the garden, he said, "well that's it we'll take you back to the hotel" even though the time wasn't up. We didn't see the Lodi Colony at all either. It just felt like he was keen to dump us and be done.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

car was always clean and driver was terrific.

Ed planned a fantastic trip for me based on both the places I wanted to visit and his own extensive local knowledge.
During the trip Ed and his team provided friendly and efficient service and assistance as needed.
I would recommend anyone to book a trip through the team!

Kim Kim made our trip to Peru a trip of a lifetime. Our travel specialist Liz worked with us with everything that we wanted to do, she was extremely responsive and answered any questions or concerns we had. Our travel specialist during the trip Lisabeth was also extremely responsive and ensured our trip went smoothly.

Gummi did an excellent job planning our Iceland Ring Road adventure. He reviewed the activities we had expressed interest in and proposed additional ideas for our consideration, a number of which we added to our itinerary. Gummy is a native Icelander and has an intimate knowledge of the country and activities, having done them himself. He did a great job preparing our daily itinerary which included when to start and highlights with suggested amounts of time to spend at each location. The inclusion of Google map links made it easy to navigate. We did not think or worry about logistics before or during the trip. Gummi was also available if questions arose. We highly recommend him. Trip highlights- Inside the Volcano, Silfra Snorkel, Porsmork HIke, Katla Ice Cave and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Morocco.

Some things that could have been better: our guide was terrific, but it was impossible to hear him when we were driving. I sat right behind him and could not hear at all. My husband sat behind the passenger seat and heard a little. Not sure how that can be fixed - a microphone, maybe?

The trip to the desert was great as was the stops along the way and the overnight in the desert- top notch, nothing I would change. On the return, we stopped at a kasbah that was closed due to the earthquake. There was no reason to stop there. We then spent the night in a hotel that was about 3 hours outside of Marrakesh. The hotel was in the middle of no where - you could not walk anywhere, so we were stuck in the hotel. The room was in the basement and the prepaid dinner was absolutely awful. The breakfast was fine and the owner was very pleasant. It was truly a wasted day. It would have been much better to drive the three additional hours and get back to Marrakesh later in the evening so we could have had a full day in Marrakesh on our last day in Morocco.

The city tour of Marrakesh was terrific and the Riad that was stayed in on our last night was lovely.

Overall a great experience but I would make some changes in the future.

We had a wonderful honeymoon trip across Morocco where we spent 14 days across many cities and regions. My wife and I joked that we couldn’t handle seeing so many beautiful sights each day and agree that our itinerary was perfect for the trip we wanted. A great mix of relaxation, adventure, and appreciation of a culture different than our own. Our guide and driver throughout the trip was Said, and we couldn’t recommend him enough. He was very informative about all the locations we visited, made us feel safe and welcome, and went above and beyond to make sure we had a positive experience in Morocco. We came to Morocco as visitors but luckily after meeting Said, we left with a friend. Would absolutely recommend Kimkim, MOTB and Said to whoever is thinking about taking a trip to Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

72 Riad Living

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luxury Camp Chebbi

Merzouga

Great experience in the desert, staff was fun and friendly!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Great food and ambiance!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Meziana

Chefchaouene

Very nice, intimate setting. A great place to say in the picturesque city of Chefchaouene

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Amani

Fès

Absolutely stunning Riad, my wife and I greatly enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Anfa Casablanca

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Chamaa

Ouarzazate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fez + Food Tour

Fes

Our food tour was in Marrakech not Fez, but we had an absolutely wonderful time. Donuts, Harrira, tangia and more! Left full and happy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam Visit: Traditional Body Scrub

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback or Camel Riding on the Beaches of {{pick_up_location}}

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Medina and Historical Sites Of Marrakesh

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Ourika Valley: Hike to a Waterfall

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide went above and beyond to make sure we saw all that we could!

Transport

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport