Kimkim Trip Reviews

logistics were seamless - drivers were always there, guides were on time.
we especially loved katerina (percy jackson tour) and george (river gorge hike in crete). veerna and kosta (crete cooking experience were amazing and great w kids).
local expert (lea) was always available and responded super fast. we got notified of a cancellation bc of weather and she started a refund within hours. we asked to make a weather related change and she made it happen, also within hours.
hotels and service at hotels (laundry, restaurant recommendations) were amazing and exactly as promised.
guides were knowledgeable, flexible to the needs of 2 elementary school aged kids.
activities were super entertaining and enjoyable. we will use kim kim again for sure! amazing service for busy parents looking to have an active vacation.

Hotel Reviews

xenodocheio Milos

Athens

comfortable rooms, delicious breakfast, concierges were amazing w restaurant recommendations and reservations. great walkable location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Delfino

Chania, Crete

charming and beautiful building, amazing and knowledgeable staff, great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Percy Jackson-Inspired Hero’s Adventure in Athens

Athens

guide was knowledgeable, flexible (it was our first day and our kids were jet lagged), friendly

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

super knowledgeable guide, great access to crowded sites

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cretan Village Cooking Experience

Chania

friendly staff, great w kids (even though they were the only ones), delicious food, seamless logistics

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kourtaliotiko Gorge Hidden Waterfall & River Trek

Chania

george was amazing. super flexible, great w our kids, knowledgeable and fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Stargazing in the Heart of Athens

Athens

didn't get to go bc of weather. they canceled promptly and offered to do the non-astronomy part of the tour but we were tired after the acropolis. next time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coastal Fishing Adventure with Local Fishermen

Chania

beautiful day, great boat, we got lovely weather. kids all caught a bunch of little fish

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I contacted kimkim to help craft a custom itinerary with a guide spend almost a week hiking in the Ecuadorian Andes. The kimkim staff was professional and responsive. Most importantly, they contracted an independent local guide who spoke excellent english and specialized in hiking trips.

During the trip we had to adjust the itinerary based on road conditions after a very strong storm closed the road to one of our our planned overnight stay locations. Alternative accommodations were made seamlessly, and it was great to see that the kimkim folks and our local guide were on the same page and kept us in the loop.

My one change would probably be to find a location closer to Chimborazo outside of Riobamba instead of staying in town. The town is not terribly clean and fairly noisy. While our time there was completely fine, l would suggest this improvement for the next group interested in doing a trip similar to ours.

Lastly, I can't say enough good things about our local guide Milton. He really made our trip special and we will treasure our time together for a long time.

Hotel Reviews

Mansion Santa Isabella

Riobamba

While the Andalusian style is nice, the staff was only moderately helpful and the room overlooking the street was very noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The weekend staff was not terribly friendly or helpful. It didn't seem like they enjoyed their job very much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Santa Lucia House - Forum

Cuenca

Wonderful staff, great location, and a lovely interior. Our room was situated at the front of the hotel, so we heard som street noise, but the large sitting room just outside our room more than made up for it. Breakfast was good. We really appreciated they adjusted their breakfast schedule to accommodate us leaving early in AM on two different occasions.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely traditional Andalusian style.

Location

Less than 5 minutes to the town center.

Staff

Everyone we met was friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

We totally lucked out to see the mountain. Great hikes to the Rifugio and around the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used a local driver for the last part of the drive.

Explore the Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

The hike around the crater is terrific. There is some steep vertical in the first quarter of the hike going counterclockwise, so be ready for that.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Milton recommended going counterclockwise, which was totally the right call.

Transport

We made a decision the night before to stay in Chugchilan instead of Isnilivi. Not only were we closer to the lake the next day, but we luckily avoided a major landslide that would have kept us from getting to Quilatoa at all.

Cuenca City Tour

Ecuador

Cuenca is a special town. We were fortunate that our guide Milton was from there, so we totally benefitted from having a local experience.

Quality of Experience

Meeting our guides family.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Milton's family was awesome.

Transport

Cajas National Park

Ecuador

Who knew Scotland was in Ecuador. This is a very special place to hike.

Quality of Experience

We lucked out on the weather. Go early!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was an overall enjoyable experience. Angel was very attntive druing the trip and making sure we got to where we needed. We appreciate the attention which made the trip more relaxing. We also liked the vast majority of the hotels that we were in with a single notable exception. Our lodging on the second night in Tanahara was extremely difficult to check in with their totally inadequate remote check-in process. if we did not encounter a Japanese lady staying at the same place that night who spent close to half an hour on the phone with the vendor to get us into our room, I have no idea what would have happened. The dinner they supplied unfortunately was woefully inadequate and some of the described facilities, such as a sauna was simply not available.
We enjoyed the guides that waere booked, they were knowledgible, very pleasant and accomodating.
The trekking we did was great, the information provided by Angel was very useful. There was suficient flexibility that we were able to do our own thing when desired.
There were a few notable glitches that I believe could have been avoided. There was a mix up on the time of our cooking class in Kyoto. The substitute Angel was able to comeup with was not quite a cooking class, but it was an enjoyable evening nonetheless. We thought Angle should have known that the Alpine route would not be open when we were there before we started our trip and we could have made some changes in our itinerary during the final planning stages. We were unable to get on the boat cruise on the Kumano Kodo following the intructions provided by Angel. Several of the travellers we met had made bookings weeks ago and we thought perhaps that could have been done for us. It was not a huge problem but it meant we had to do some last minute plan changes.
We understand that no trip planning is ever perfect and we are used to making last minute adjustments during our travels. However, similiar trips planned along the same manner did go a little smoother than this one.
Finally, we are generally satisfied and would consider using your services again.

Highly recommend KimKim services for travel planning. We spent 10 active days in Costa Rica that were planned by Olman as a family of 7 that included 3 children. Every part of the trip went smoothly with the transportation arriving on time, activities were spaced to avoid rushing, there was time to add our own activities as we wanted.
Questions during the trip were answered to provide any clarity needed for currency, customs, tipping and travel arrangements.
The combination of group tour activities and private guided tours was excellent. They provided a basis for us to explore on our own with the knowledge gained from the tours.

I will be using KimKim again for an upcoming tour in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Pradera del Arenal

Fortuna

Hotel La Pradera del Arenal was fantastic. The accommodations were just what I expected for the price, and having activities like the ATV event right at the hotel was very convenient. The ease of access to activities really enhanced our stay.

Tropical Gardens Suites and Apartments

Playas del Coco

The last place we stayed, Tropical Gardens Suites and Apartments, was not what I expected. It seemed a bit rundown, almost like a timeshare trying to rehabilitate itself and only halfway through that process. I would not recommend it unless visitors have low expectations.

Activity Reviews

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike to La Fortuna Waterfall was amazing, especially having a private guide who was exceptional. It felt personalized and I would highly recommend the guide we had to anyone visiting La Fortuna.

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Arenal 1968 hike followed by the visit to the Ecotermales Hot Springs was a highlight. The Hot Springs were nice, and dinner there was excellent. It was a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Peñas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Peñas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft was great. Despite being part of a larger group, we were in our own raft with a guide, which made it a personal and enjoyable experience.

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

The Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience was fantastic. The whole day was well-paced and enjoyable, allowing us to fully experience without feeling rushed.

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The Selvatura Park Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining was incredible. It was well organized, not scary, and probably the number one activity for the group. The focus on safety was clear, which made it all the more enjoyable.

Catamaran Sailing Excursion & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

The Catamaran Sailing Excursion was very well organized. The open bar and fresh squeezed lemonade were delightful surprises. While the snorkeling wasn't as expected due to water conditions, the overall experience was enjoyable and lasted longer than anticipated.

We had a truly amazing family trip to Vietnam, and with Hien's help, everything was organized smoothly. It's no small feat, because we are ambitious travelers who like to see and do as much as we can. Our Ha Long Bay two-night cruise was definitely worthwhile - it's nice to get a bit further out where there are fewer boats. We also really enjoyed having time to wander around Hoi An on our own, though our guide was ready with lots of tips for the best shops and snacks. Transportation was seamless and flexible. Our guide, KC, in Hanoi was great with the kids - our youngest was sad to leave him behind as we continued on. The only thing I would suggest is making sure you specify if you're not the type of family that likes big family-style meals - we had some great meals, but they were a tough sell for our picky children!

We had a wonderful visit to Costa Rica and enjoyed every minute of our time!
Thanks for coordinating everything and having everything planned made it so much easy to explore and enjoy the nature and wildlife.
The tour guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. Special thanks to Alex with whom we drove couple of times. He is very kind and shared a lot of great information with us.
Wilman was also very responsive and accommodated some last minute changes.
Loved visiting the Arenal 1968 park, nature walk in Manuel Antonio national park, zip line and night excursions in the rainforest!guide took all photos for us and shared them for a memorable experience! Hotels were also wonderful with great customer service and rooms very spacious.
Overall a great experience!!

Our first trip to Japan went very smoothly and Angel was very efficient and helpful in planning the itinerary for our 1 week visit. This was the last leg of our month long Asian vacation thus the short week stay in a country that had much to offer.
The guides she set up for us in Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka were fabulous. All 3 were knowledgeable and helpful guiding us through the subways and the key sights.. We learned so much of the history and culture of the country from each of the guides and each was enjoyable company for all 3 days. Also, they were very punctual.
We did request mid range hotels however, we had to get used to the size of the rooms which by our standards were very tight. I would change this in the future and ask for 2 beds and maybe get a little more room. or get a higher end hotel, The locations of the hotels were spot on - safe neighborhoods and clean (the entire country is clean).
I would extend our time in Japan to a minimum of 10 days and in terms of time spent in each area, my suggestion is to spend 3 days in Tokyo, 3 days in Kyoto and surrounding area, 2 days in Osaka; this does not include travel time to get from 1 city to another. In fact 2 weeks should be a minimum to allow for time spent in smaller villages, especially if you do not like crowds.
Overall , we had a great experience with Kim Kim and Angel and would definitely use their services again.

Activity Review

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour (join-in)

Hakone

There needs to be a better backup on rainy days - we got to go to an aquarium.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angie was very responsive to any emails and questions. Our accommodations were all excellent. Our favorite was BYAKU in Narai …. That was the highlight for sure. Our guides in Kyoto and Hiroshima were excellent as well. We could have done without our stay in IMABARI as the hiking was terrible. All along city roads !! Overall an excellent trip … we will recommend Angie to friends.

Hotel Reviews

BYAKU Narai

Narai

This was the most beautiful and amazing stay with excellent food. The highlight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hiking over the Torre pass was beautiful and it was great to end up in Narai

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shimanami PRIMEHOTEL IMABARI

Imabari

The town was very disappointing ..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi Premier / Tokyo

tokyo

Good location but a long way from Narita

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fukinomori

The ryocan experience was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kiso Mikawaya

Kiso-Fukushima

It was a bit tired and the food was not great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

15 min walk from the station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Great location. Can walk from the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima

Hiroshima

The ferry goes directly to the island from the hotel . Wish we knew this beforehand. We took took the ferry back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dogo Onsen Dogo Funaya

Also great location and service. Lovely garden

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Disappointing as the garden was very small and uninteresting. A Geisha concert would have been much better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Katu was an amazing guide…. Very worth while

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Our guide was lovely BUT the transportation to the island was lengthy and boring when we could have taken a ferry instead. We would have preferred a night on the island. As there was a beautiful hike to the top which we only learned when we got there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We stayed at really beautiful riads, and our driver, Mohammed Jbari ensured we had a smooth trip. He was polite, helpful and would point out interesting sights as we drove, especially on long drives.

Paula helped my husband and I plan our dream trip of five weeks in Australia and she did an amazing job. The planning process was a pleasure as Paula was very responsive and truly made the effort to understand what things were important to us. We visited Sydney, Hamilton Island, Melbourne, drove the Great Ocean Road, drove around Tasmania, and visited Perth and Ningaloo reef. This was a very ambitious itinerary but Paula organized our time in such a way that none of this felt rushed or exhausting. Paula’s choices of accommodations were excellent and all details such as flights and rental cars were booked with much thought to comfort and convenience. Everything went seamlessly, and the couple of very small glitches were handled quickly and efficiently by the local agents. We had a perfect trip!

We've settled in after our return home and wanted to thank our specialist Melanie and the team for all the work you did to make our family trip a memorable experience!

In case it's helpful to you for future trip planning, here are some notes:

We thought the Condominio Monti was in a good location and it was pretty cool to see the Colosseo right down the street. The breakfasts were a good value and the breakfast location on the rooftop terrace was especially nice with good staff.

Our golf cart tour and guide Lorenzo was terrific, thank you for searching for a golf cart tour that would allow a 6 year old. We felt safe and Lorenzo was very knowledgeable and even recommended restaurants nearby that we visited and enjoyed.

The walking street food tour was also a good experience and we're glad you recommended transportation back to the hotel-- between our son and his grandma, it would have been too much walking, We liked the places we went to and went back to one on our own.

The Vatican tour guide was informative and friendly. It was definitely crowded and louder in the Sistine Chapel than we remembered. Also, the prices to the Dome have changed, it's now 10 Euros for stairs only and 15 for elevator.

The pizza and gelato class was a favorite of everyone in our group. They were already prepared for our son's egg allergy and even though our group was messy the staff handled it with no problem.

Our transportation to/around Sorrento and back was ok, the driver was great but we would have appreciated a van where we could have all faced forward.

We liked our small hotel, La Casa dell'Orologio and would recommend it. It only has 6 rooms but they were well appointed and in a great location. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if breakfast was included but there were several options along Piazza Tasso.

The mozzarella experience was lovely and it was fun for all ages in our group. We were glad it was part of our itinerary. It was amazing that it had been in the same family for 6 generations.

We enjoyed the Ercolano tour and our guide Sasha was knowledgeable and personable. The scale of the site was better suited to our son and his grandma, too. There were portions open that my husband and I don't recall being available when we were there in 2017 so that was a nice experience for us as well.

Everyone enjoyed the Amalfi Coast, our group liked Positano the most. We found Amalfi crowded though beautiful. Ravello felt different than the other two and we toured Villa Rufolo. On the way back our driver stopped at Ceramiche Casola and I bought 2 platters personalized with our names, which felt like a special way to remember our trip, plus I spent enough that they will ship it to us.

On the way from Sorrento back to Rome we had to walk maybe 3 blocks with our luggage to bus parking since the driver was not allowed to load in Piazza Tasso, maybe because it was Monday morning. That was a bit of a haul on cobblestone sidewalks that we weren't anticipating.

We think the guides for our Colosseo tour might have been the best guides of our trip. They did a phenomenal job of incorporating history, archeology, and architecture in an interesting way. Plus King Charles and Queen Camilla were there that day and they did a great job of being flexible with the various security closures. There was a slight hiccup when we got to the meeting point outside the Colosseo, we didn't see anyone from City Walkers until about 9am and were getting nervous, but that was the only snag.

Overall we had a wonderful time. Thank you again for putting our itinerary together with your expertise and also as a mom, your perspective was quite helpful.

Our driver, Alex was amazing. He was full of wonderful information about Costa Ric. A very personable and interesting man. Due to a medical situation, I could not join in on all of the scheduled activities. The ones I participated in were wonderful. Our hike guide on the zipline tour was full of wonderful information about the plants, insects, birds, snakes, etc. on our walk. Also, the repelling company was wonderfully run with engaging, interesting people. I wasn't able to repel, but joined the group for part of the adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Loved this hotel and the amazing grounds. The food was good. The pools and pool bars with wonderful. We were located on the backside of the property. Often we walked to the pools/restaurant but, when we asked for a driver, they were prompt and well run.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful rooms and grounds! Loved all of the wildlife around up. The grounds were emasculate. The restaurant was good with a lovely setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

I could not participate in ziplining but loved the guided wald.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Wonderful experience! Lovely couple that owns this business. They have done everything right.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lost Canyon Waterfalls & Rappelling Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

I could not participate in this activity but went along and stayed in the operation hq. Lovely family that runs this professional business.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal ATV Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

I did not participate

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

We had an amazing guide. The park was very busy and a bit underwhelming from all of the hype.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an amazing adventure! I am so appreciative to Esther and team for all their help -- even when changes arose.

The Namibian desert and Kadizora Camp were the highlights!

Katty

Kim Kim was an excellent choice of tour agent for us.The team including Ngima( our main contact in Kathmandu) and Ang Gelu sherpa( our guide, for the 10 days) were fantastic.They understood our needs and were very accomodating.the itenary they set up for us was wonderful and covered all areas on Nepal. the accomodation choices were excellent. They worked well as a team with us. Would highly recommend this agency and I would use them again if I return to Nepal.
Thank you Ngima and Ang Gelu!!

Hotel Reviews

The Dwarika’s Hotel

Kathmandu

Excellent hotel. The history of the hotel made it very unique place to stay. the courtyard was my favourite place to sit and read daily. Food was great.Staff were very helpful.Location was perfect only 3-5 minute drive from the airport which made all our travels very easy. Would stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole hotel and grounds

Fishtail lodge

Pokhara

I loved the location of this hotel.It was such a peaceful place with a view of the mountains. Felt very peaceful here to sit outside and read by the pool. The staff at the hotel were very friendly and helpful.Food was great as I am a vegetarian and it catered well for our food preferences. Would stay again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Green Park Chitwan

Chitwan

the hotel was very clean and comfortable. the staff extremely friendly and helpful. The food catered for our vegetarian preference. The only thing lacking for me was a spa ,that would have been nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lumbini Hokke Hotel

We went to Lumbini in the off season so the hotel was practically empty when we arrived. The location was perfect, very close to all the sites you would want to see in Lumbini. the rooms were clean and set up in a Japanese tradition and style, which was cute. The staff were very helpful and friendly and accomodating for our needs. Unfortuantely the Japanese bath was not open and when we asked for it to be opened we were told its an extra charge of $ 80 US. The Japanese bath area looked not well maintained but otherwise the hotel was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Drive from Pokhara to Dhampus and Trek to Landruk (6,234 ft / 1900 m)

Nepal

The drive was no issues to Dhampus.We started our trek from Damphus with stunning views on route.Stopped at a tea house for lunch which was delicious.Continued our trek to Landruk and stayed at a beautiful lodge.the location of the lodge was great with phenomenal views of the mountains.The rooms were clean and pleasant but basic.We were told this is the best lodge in the region.The food was simple and limited in choice for vegetarians but sufficient for us and we understood the difficulty in supplies. The trek was difficult but well worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek from Landruk to Ghandruk (6,365 feet / 1,940 m), Trek Back to Kimche and Drive to Pokhara

Nepal

The second part of our trek was just as challenging as the first day .A lot of steps down and then a steady climb up for 2.5 hours ,all worth it, you have constant views of the mountains and also the valley. We stopped at a teahouse for lunch in Gandruk,where they made food from scratch for us for lunch which was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive from Chitwan to Lumbini

Lumbini

The drive from Chitwan from Lumbini was along a non existent road,it was a dirt road all the way. Road works constantly going on which stopped the traffic.The "road" was extremely busy with trucks, buses, cars and motorbikes.This was on the mountian side so felt very unsafe to me.Ideally i would have flown.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-day Chitwan activities

Chitwan National Park

We started the day early with a canoe ride on the river to see the crocodiles and bird life.Very peaceful. Saw lots of crocodiles too. this was followed by trip to Chitwan national park to see the rhinos and tiger.We were out on the safari for 4 hours and saw at least 15 white one horned rhinos which was amazing.Unfortunatley we did not see any tigers or sloth bears. Good successful day

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lumbini UNESCO World Heritage Site

Lumbini

Lumbini was a very special place as its the birth place of buddha.Really enjoyed our visit here, very peaceful and at this time of the year which is pre season it was lovely and quiet.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ultimate Mt. Everest mountain flight on a plane and Full day guided Kathmandu sightseeing tour

Kathmandu

this is an experience of a lifetime. The flight was great and the views impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Bhairahawa to Kathmandu

Lumbini

Unevetful flight to Kathmandu.Our guide was very helpful in checking us in and making sure our journey was easy with our luggage.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Sad to leave Nepal but the guide made our check in very easy.Flight was uneventful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara & Pokhara Sightseeing Tour

Pokhara

the flight was quick and easy .Our driver and car were waiting when we landed and our guide Ang Gelu was with us all the way to help with any concerns we arrived.He made check in at the airport very easy. The whole Pokhara experience was well worth it and I would recommend to anyone .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time in Japan, would credit its success as a result of careful planning (mostly started with my wife and my later addition) and working with Olivia during the planning process, booking, and even during the trip for the most up-to-date and timely intervention/support. I'd emphasize this timely and supporting communication with Olivia as the most satisfying experience.

As for accommodations, those in Tokyo and Kyoto met, even exceeded my expectation in terms of location, facility and amenities. I suspect at time of booking, there was some shortages of hotels in Osaka, the selected hotel was not at par with the previous two. Thus the contrast exacerbated the differences, as we expected the same caliber as before. However, the Osaka location, not sure if being a smaller city, is walking distance to all attractions in this wonderful cultural city, e.g. Kuromon market, Dontobori street. By chance we met an Aussie couple during the Foodie Tour, that we learned about the Free Osaka Walking Tour, which we took on our free time on the last day of our trip. It can be hit and miss, but Masaaki as the Guide who used to live in Florida for 25 years really impressed us with his communication skills, that we learned and appreciated Osaka culture and history, but I digress ;)!

There are many fond memories and great impressions we had from this trip. I now recover from jet lag of this trip, so it many not be a complete review at this time. That said, I was very impressed with the food we had, possibly thanks to the Foodie Tour we had in Tokyo and Osaka, and on our own in Kobe, having an experience with Kobe Sukiyaki beef. But I am most impressed especially with the buffet breakfast at Mitsui Garden Premier and Vischio hotel. In addition to the standard "meaty" (American) breakfast -which even includes roast chicken and pork, the complete traditional Japanese breakfast was served, from Miso and variant (Corn) soup with all delicate ingredients, to a full sushi palette with eels, topped up with deserts like individually made Yatsuhashi and whole wheat Gallete (pancake). Matt even found out something new about Shirasu, a tiny, translucent, silvery-white baby fish in his Japanese breakfast, what a find and an experience! A big breakfast was much needed for our daily walk, typically 15-20K steps, or 10 miles, more than enough for a daily cardio exercise, so we made full use of it! Fudou Houtou - Yamanashi, a veg flat udon noodles is honorably mentioned when our Guide brought us to a restaurant going to Hakone, was an interesting and unique experience. The whole bowl made of cast iron, was individually cooked for each person, as I could see the process from the door of the kitchen. It is noteworthy that the provided Guide recommended good restaurants for lunch during our daily tour, which is very important to make efficient use of time. More can be written on food, but it is sufficient for this purpose.

There are more than just food, but it will take time for me to systematically recall to review, and this would need going back to all the photos and videos I took, so that would be my own report, perhaps for future trips back. Perhaps I should focus on what could be improved, or lessons on my own part. First would be to review and priority the attractions to visit, as we all have limited time and budget. Now that I've been to one, a different list of attractions can be revised to complement what I have visited. Given the number of temples (Bhudist and Shintos), perhaps we could reduce one or two, and add a Geisha experience in Gion, Kyoto in lieu. Given only a day or less in Hakone, we could have booked 2 nights for a better experience, especially to allow more time to enjoy the outdoor onsen. In addition, some flexibility in events booking in Tokyo could have been reserved as an option, in order to prepare for weather changes. E.g. when we first landed in Tokyo, the next day was to enjoy Ueno Park especially during Sakura Blossom time. However, the weather was not cooperated, it was lightly rained and cold, we managed to enjoy and capture precious moment anyway. However, as I checked the weather forecast at the time, found that the next day (after Ueno Park) was scheduled for TeamLabs Planets, that it was going to be sunny! I thought about a possible swap, but all arrangements were done, possibly not easy to change, so I went with the plan! Another note is about the Tour Guide, as they are fine doing their job, however I kind of wish some minor improvements can be considered. I suppose for a small walking group, the need for individual electronic listening devices (earbuds) could be used, as we all could listen to the Guide, and we were usually immersed in a sea of people walking to an attraction. Such use of earbuds can help. In addition, and this may depend on the Guide him/herself, whether they can add some story telling, some interesting and unique info on where we are going can be added. But this is like an enhancement, not strictly necessary.

That said, I really appreciate the change offered by the Tour on the first day to Kyoto, as Olivia added a private driver! In hindsight, as we had to wander Kyoto a couple hours before checking in at 3PM, we may not be able to go to the Tea Ceremony scheduled at 5PM by local public transit. ( We used this time to check out the nearby UEON chained shopping mall ). So the Driver came in very helpful to make it to the Tea Ceremony timely.

Another point of local transit, we were happy with the additional transfer when needed, but the local going from point A to point B in a new city using public transit would assume the travelers to be well-versed with Google Map, and an understanding of the local transit (subway, train, bus), which can be a challenge for certain activity, such as the meeting place for the Tokyo/Shinjuku and Osaka Foodie Tour. This would require some knowledge of using the subway and especially exiting at the right exit. I could have managed on my own, however not an easy task for me. Thankfully, travelling with my adult sons, using Google map, translate, and perhaps when walking with the Tour Guide on a previous day in Tokyo, they learn quickly how to navigate the local transit, which was a good experience to learn, still a challenge for first timers in general.

As mentioned, there are lots to recall and review. And no trip, regardless of planning would be perfect, weather cooperation always an potential issue . Thankfully, we are more than compensated watching Sakura blossom season throughout the trip, in Tokyo and surprising in Osaka after all. Overall, myself had a wonderful time in Japan, and really appreciate working with Olivia to timely work out some minor issues, making the trip a very pleasurable memory!

Our driver Abdellatif was with us for the duration of our tour and he provided a lot of information regarding customs and traditions of Morocco. He was patient and courteous and always mindful of taking care of our needs.
One of the benefits of a tour like this is not only will the organizer continue to monitor your tour but should any problem, however minor, arise they are quick to settle the issue.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Yasmine

Tangier

The Dar Yasmine itself was very nice, but the proximity to the mosque was an issue for us. As non-Muslims, the calls to worship at 2 AM and 4 AM were too loud and disrupted our sleep.

Auberge Le Festival Todra Gorge

Aït Baha

Our stay at Auberge Le Festival Todra Gorge was a pleasant experience, although it was unexpectedly chilly due to the lack of heating. The place was very new and not traditional, but it was a unique experience aside from the cold.

Dar Al Madina Al Kadima

Fès

At Dar Al Madina Al Kadima, we seemed to be the only guests, and twice we found ourselves unable to exit because the door was locked. Once in the evening, around 6:30 PM, when heading out for dinner, and another on our day of departure. While it didn't affect us much, it could have been serious in case of an emergency.

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Exploration of the "Blue City" Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

The Blue City, Chefchaouen, was an outstanding place to visit. Despite the rain during our time there, which was welcomed by the locals after a long dry period, the city's beauty shone through. The picturesque blue streets are a must-see, and even rain couldn't detract from the experience.

Todra Gorges to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride via Rissani

Morocco

The experience in the desert with the sunset camel ride from Todra Gorges to Merzouga was incredible. It was my first time in the desert and riding camels, and sleeping in a tent in the desert was unforgettable. Everything was well organized and it was a very good experience, definitely worth it.

Our trip was amazing our transfer drivers were always on time and professional. The hotels were all very nice and more importantly there locations were convenient to walk to almost everything. The only small problems were we had a couple of tours that got changed one was to be guided but was not we got to go but on our own this was the fault of the tour operators not our travel planner. This was our second time with Kim -Kim and I would definitely use them again both trips have been fantastic. Ken Kasbohm

Hotel Reviews

DBH – Boutique Hotel Lake Como

Como

Nice hotel in a good location not far from the lake and downtown

Authenticity & Character

The way it’s been renovated

Location

Easy to walk to restaurants and tours

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and staff made everything up nicely every day

Argentina Residenza Style Hotel Rome

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Horto Convento Florence

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Very old but beautiful restoration

Location

Easy to walk plus quiet

Staff

So helpful always had time to talk to us and ad suggestions about things to see our place to eat

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless rooms nicely decorated

Hotel Bucintoro

Venice

This was one of our favorite hotels of our trip so much character and so nicely maintained. The location was great right on the main canal Venice is not easy to find your way around but the location made it easy to find our way back from our daily adventures.

Authenticity & Character

So old but so nicely preserved the wood work and flooring were beautiful

Location

Easy to find

Staff

No they were all great from the people in the breakfast area to the staff at the desk. Was the only hotel we have ever stayed you turn key in at desk every time you come and go which was interesting

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was nice

Activity Reviews

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Group Tour

Rome

So much to see amazing the beauty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide spoke very good English was very knowledgeable

Tuscany: Day Tour To Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti Wine Region With Wine Tasting

Florence

We were booked on a small group tour that got canceled so they put us on this in its place which went to same places but with 100 people instead of 8

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gondola ride

Venice

Waste of money

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not friendly

Transport

Actuall ride was ok

Murano, Burano & Torcello by boat with Glassblowing

Venice

Nice to visit the other islands. Glass blowing was interesting

Quality of Experience

Loved the old villages

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Colosseum & Roman Forum

Rome

This was one of our disappointments this tour was to be guided but person didn’t show up to work so we had go on our own we just felt we missed out

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pasta & Tiramisù Cooking Class

Rome

Quality of Experience

Food

All things we made

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So much fun

Venice Walking Tour with guide

Italy

Was fun guide was informative showed us places as tourists we would never find

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Person could try be friendly

Cicchetti and Wine tour

Venice

Fun evening guide came right to our hotel to meet us and take us to visit to local places

Quality of Experience

Get to see a different part of Venice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was knowledgeable about the area and different foods having grown up in the area

Florence Food Tour

Florence

Was fun we had a fun guide as well as two other women who joined us that were fun

Quality of Experience

Food

Differently local favorites

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was knowledgeable as well as fun

Private Transfer by watertaxi

Italy

Driver showed up right on time boat was clean driver was friendly

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just so different

From Como: St. Moritz (Switzerland) and Tirano Trip with Bernina Express

Italy

The scenery was amazing. All around definitely one of the highlights of our trip

Quality of Experience

The rugged beauty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was informative and helpful and easy to understand

Transport

Buses were clean and comfortable. Our driver Antonio was incredibly talented as one who drove professionally for over 40 years I appreciate a fellow professional driver and he truly was one his skills going up the mountain roads was incredible plus his caution in traffic I felt very comfortable and safe

Bye Bye, Italy!

Italy

Whole trip was outstanding very busy but that’s the way we wanted it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All our private pickups were on time in nice clean comfy vehicles

Driver Mohammed was fantastic: informative, happy, dressed well. He accommodated bathroom stops a lunch stops for us and we were always in a spotlessly clean vehicle. Riads were great, especially Kniza except for Riad Ghita in Fes. HVAC didn’t work, separate building but people , food were great. We did so many things but maybe too much bc we did a lot of driving and had to skip some natural sights to get to the next town. Loved camel camp, experience and stars and Taghzoute was a well needed respite. We loved the balloon ride. Guides were mostly high quality and educated! We’ll be back!

Hotel Reviews

ONOMO Hotel Casablanca Airport

Nouaceur

Adequate airport hotel , no A/C

Authenticity & Character

Typical airport hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Working A/C

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Cool place. Good food, beautiful views from rooftop terrace.

Authenticity & Character

True Riad

Location

Close to Medina and pier

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful. Cool rooms. Ours had funky stairs ,friends had had a glass bottom bedroom floor !

Riad Ghita

Fes

Bathroom was like a cold damp mortuary, hvac didn’t work. Remote for minisplit was broken, staff worked hard to fix it

Authenticity & Character

Seemed kind of rundown and antiquated

Location

Staff

Very friendly and food was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, marble bathroom was pretty bad

Kasbah Mohayut

Merzouga

Beds were like a board. Great location next to dunes, nice terrace with pretty views The tangine we had there was weird. Pleasant outside patio. Breakfast was good. Was nice to have a beer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to dunes

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were horrible.

Riad Madu Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Very cool place. Comfortable room. Fun musical performance with the staff around a fire I would have preferred a longer camel ride!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Out in the desert was way cool.

Location

Staff

Food ok. Nothing spectacular

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very cool room. Like a luxury yurt.

Caravane

Ouarzazate

Absolutely gorgeous place. Wonderful room, Beautiful decor, Best food we had, had food local wine. Owner on premises and very attentive. 2 nights there would have been nice!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful finishes.

Location

Bit of a drive back to atlas studios

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gorgeous sitting area and room.

Radisson Blu Resort, Taghazout Bay Surf Village

Taghazout

Really a great place, food was fantastic, Beach was a lot of fun, walking into town was great, overall really a nice place. Bungalows were cool, although we didn’t have the best view.

Authenticity & Character

Where else can you see camels and surfers on the same beach?

Location

Beach front.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kniza

Marrakech

Stunningly, beautiful place, truly our favorite great way to end the trip in such a fabulous place for three nights

Authenticity & Character

Owner came around and greeted us, and I bought a photograph from his son. That is just beautiful.

Location

To walk out of the crazy and hectic Medina, and do a peaceful delightful Haven was just great

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meals were great, rooftop dining was just wonderful

Activity Reviews

Casablanca Airport, Hassan II Mosque, and Rabat

Morocco

Mass tour was fabulous, very impressive

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mohammed and Simpli the best guy keep him!

Transport

Mohammed was a great driver, kept the vehicle, clean and neat, always felt safe with him, very interesting. His English was great, and helped us really get a good feel for Morocco.

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Really had a great guide, taught us a lot about Islam, and a beautiful place to see incredible

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Rabat to Fes via Meknes

Morocco

It is one thing we could’ve skipped, it would probably be Meknès. Wasn’t that interesting, and our guide was not that Great, lunch was not so good and we seem to waste a lot of time because of entrances to certain things or time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mohammed, of course was great, but the local guide was not so good

Transport

Guided Tour of Meknes

Meknes

Not a very good guy, wasn’t very interesting

Quality of Experience

Transport

Mohammed was great, the local guide was not so good

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Amal was great, he was a linguist, highly knowledgeable, very educated, felt like we had a professor taking us on a tour. Fez is an overwhelmingly crazy place, but absolutely not to be missed a highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

The leather bats were as expected amazing, not to be missed, wish we had been there in the morning, so we could’ve seen the colors a little bit better with bright sun

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the time the four of us were picked up in Casablanca and dropped off at the airport in Marrakech 12 days later, our trip was absolutely amazing in all ways. I had found KimKim online and after reading the reviews decided to go with them. Hamza put together an itinerary taking into account our interests and limitations. He patiently answered all my questions and addressed all my concerns. Then he handed me off to our local contact Said who stayed in touch during our entire trip. In Fez there was a problem with the plumbing in the Riad we were to stay in and I had to call Said and ask him to take care of the problem. It was quite late in the day but Said managed to find us another hotel right away, which was quite difficult because of it being hiigh season for tourists. He too was patient and accommodating throughout the trip.
Sameer, our driver/guide was the best. He was polite, informative, helpful and extremely focused on our safety and comfort and on making sure we had the best possible time. On top of all of this, he is a very safe driver.
In Fez, our guide Sameer was again very well informed and took us on a throughly enjoyable jaunt through the old Medina. In Marrakesh Hanna spent a large part of the day of the day with us again on a walking tour of the old Medina. She is a young woman full of knowledge and a passion for all things Moroccan.
All in all we were highly satisfied with the entire process from planning to completion. Morocco is a country full of beauty, history and culture with amazing and friendly people. We are so happy to have been a part of that with the help of KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Nice hotel in the modern part of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Very pretty and comfortable. Wonderful breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

Fes Medina

Beautiful place. Unfortunately both our rooms were smelling badly of blocked sewage drains. Apparently from what the staff told us, it happens periodically. Luckily arrangements were made to move us to the Heritage `Boutique Hotel s,s

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

A very pretty place with very friendly staff, clean rooms. The camp dog, Maisy, is the sweetest dog ever and totally stole the show. The rooms/tents are very very basic. For example you could not lock the door from the outside. That took a bit of getting used too. The food was adequate. Maybe it was because the chef was out for three days so two of the workers were pitching in. The visit to the nomads and the fossil areas was fun, as was the African music performance and the pizza after.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Polite and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Beautifully built makes you feel like you are in a desert ey

Authenticity & Character

The architecture.la

Location

0

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

2Ciels Boutique Hotel

Marrakech

A very comfortable hotel with a hamman and spa and a reasonably good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

It’s a modern hotel, no real Moroccan cultuuee vibes. It the people are very friendly.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

The camel ride into the desert during our transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud was a highlight of the trip. The desert experience was wonderful, filled with beautiful scenery and the thrill of riding camels. However, the camp itself presented some safety concerns, as doors could not be securely locked and even when latched, they could be easily opened from the outside. Additionally, the food was not great, as the regular cook had to leave unexpectedly. Despite these issues, the staff at the camp were very welcoming and tried their best to accommodate us.

All the local guides were amazing - excited to speak about their city and history.

The hotels were good choices as well.

We were not prepared for the congestion in parking in four cities and wonder if travelling by train or bus would have been a better option for us.

We had trouble getting taxis at the horse show and flamenco show and wondered if there was a way you could have addressed this. Are shows offered in the day or could we have booked a taxi in advance?

We didn't have time - one week only - to go over the whole itinerary and prepare for the trip. This should be sent at least a month ahead.

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

Great guide and tour

Private Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

very interested talk and tour

Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Excellent. Would have liked to learn more about the history of flamenco and how it is part of Spanish culture.

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Spain

We thought we would see production underway but nothing was working or happening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seville Culinary Experience

Seville

This was excellent. A fun group and great guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Ronda Wine Experience

Spain

Mostly was a promo for this brand of wine. Shorter than expected and of course, nothing was happening as we were out of wine production season.

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Visit of Córdoba

Spain

Great guide - interesting and knowledgable.