Kimkim Trip Reviews

Matias was very flexible and did a fantastic job of incorporating our feedback in order to arrive at the vacation plan that best fit our needs. He brought numerous alternatives for consideration based on our input.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Mansa Wine Hotel

Vistalba, Lujan de Cuyo

Nice hotel but odd in that it is in an area surrounding some redevelopment and is a bit far from Mendoza city center.

Authenticity & Character

Cute hotel with nice aesthetics

Location

Pretty far from Mendoza

Staff

Staff were very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loi Suites Iguazú Hotel

Puerto Iguazú

Beautiful hotel. Nice pool areas and quiet locations with nice balconies for each room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Ponchos Hotel Boutique

El Calafate, Santa Cruz

Really cute B&B style hotel with amazing staff

Authenticity & Character

Amazing character

Location

A bit away from main strip of El Calafate

Staff

Incredible staff. Very welcoming and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Poincenot

El Chalten

Beautiful hotel in El Chalten. Nice location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CasaSur Recoleta

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horseback riding at Estancia Cristina

El Calafate

Amazing experience. Highly recommend the horseback riding as it is legitimate experience on well trained horses. Not the “trail ride” with poorly trained horses. The food prepared at the bbq was fantastic. What a truly enjoyable day and experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Minitrekking Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Amazing experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great engagement

Transport

Estancia Gaucho Day

Buenos Aires

After experiencing a real ranch in Patagonia this was a bit of a letdown. A lot of idle ti e and do not need to have a guide with you the entire time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Laguna de los Tres Trek

El Chaltén

Weather impacted our trek but a great experience regardless.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nativo Experience - Lakes and Caverns

El Calafate

Too cold for this experience. Not super interesting from our perspective

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maipu Valley

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iguazú Falls Great Adventure

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Argentine Dinner Experience

Argentina

Very fun experience and highly recommend. Great way to meet other travelers and have fun experimenting with food and drinks

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Brazilian Falls

Puerto Iguazú

Our guides were amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Food at the national parks is okay

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing in all respects

Transport

Buenos Aires Barrios Tour

Buenos Aires

Good to get perspective on the areas but our guide seemed more interested in her own perspectives and ideas than inquiring about our interests.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was great but tour guide was a bit much for us

Transport

Dinner and Tango Show at Rojo Tango

Buenos Aires

Fun experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Condores & Aguilas Viewpoints

El Chaltén

Uco Valley Wine Country

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Argentine Falls

Puerto Iguazú

Our guide was simply the best. Highly recommend the boat trip into the falls

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I wouldn't have planned a trip to Costa Rica any other way than using the Serendipity team and KimKim to organize and help us with all the logistics. Everything ran smoothly and we had wonderful experiences in three or four different provinces, visiting La Fortuna, Monte Verde and Manuel Antonio. The pre-planning team of Fio, Charlotte and Nancy was fantastic and I greatly appreciated their responsiveness to our questions and requests. They adjusted the trip plan and itinerary as needed and even changed hotels for us when we wanted to do something a little unique. We were really happy with their final recommendations and everything from the accommodations to the activities, transportation arrangements and all else was phenomenal. I will absolutely use them again for our next trip.

While in Costa Rica, we were so impressed with the guides. I hate to name them as I will undoubtedly miss some, but Mariano Salazar was particulary incredible with his knowledge and experience as well as his sense of humor and we all became fast friends. Alvaro (spelled incorrectly I believe) who transported us from Monte Verde to Manuel Antonio also stood out- he recommended sights and stops that we never would have known about, including stops for food and much less expensive souvenirs. There wasn't a single guide or driver who wasn't extremely knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and they all went out of their way to make sure that we were comfortable and had our questions answered thoroughly. Can't wait to get back and use Serendipity and KimKim again. It's a great business model and experience. So much better than if we had done the planning and organizational work on our own and the value relative to the cost was extremely high. Thank you so much to the entire team for making it a wonderful experience for the four of us in our group. We have many memories and many of those were thanks to you and for making it such an easy vacation.

My husband and I used kimkim to plan the honeymoon of our dreams at the place of dreams, New Zealand! The entire process was absolutely seamless. Franck and his team at Once Upon a Trip were amazing! I communicated with Franck for 8 months before our trip started and he answered all of my questions in an extremely timely manner and gave incredible advice. He booked us for all the best hotels and excursions and we had the most amazing time in New Zealand. We are hoping to return to New Zealand soon, and we will definitely be using kimkim and Once Upon a Trip again! Thank you so much Franck!

Hotel Reviews

Eliza's Manor

Christchurch City

I loved this manor! The location was in a perfect setting in Christchurch. The hotel was decorated immaculately and the room was extremely comfortable. The food is also delicious and the staff there were extremely friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

The decor was extremely unique!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dunluce Bed and Breakfast

Te Anau

This bed and breakfast was in the perfect location! There is a village closeby with stores, restaurants, and gift shops! It is also about 2 hours away from Milford Sound, and the drive there was the most beautiful and picturesque drive my husband and I have ever been on. The host Hannah is incredible! She made sure that everything we needed was taken care of and then some! She was extremely knowledgeable about the area and had great advice for our journey to Fjordland. Thank you Hannah for being so great to us during our time there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Te Anau is an amazing place and I would love to live there one day!

Staff

Hannah is an incredible host, she made breakfast for us and it was delicious every morning!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses

Auckland

The food here was INCREDIBLE! I love the storytelling behind each dish and it was the best tasting food I've had. The drinks were also delicious, and the staff were friendly and inviting!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glowworm Paddle Board Tour

Rotorua

This was one of the best things we did on our trip! The guides were very informative and friendly. The drive to the lake and the lake itself were beautiful. Seeing the glow worms in the caves were out of this world!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pō combo (Guided Experience + Indigenous Evening Experience)

Rotorua

This whole experience was amazing! It was so wonderful to get an education about the Maori people and culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

the food was delicious and there was a lot of it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

New Zealand

This was a bucket list dream come true for me and it was an experience I will never forget! Not only was the set so incredible, but the general scenery was breathtaking! It was also awesome to try the ginger beer at the Green Dragon Inn. The Shires rest cafe also had delicious and fresh food (I had the fish and chips along with the salad).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All agents were really professional, very friendly and helpful. Special thanks go to Said and Abdeljalil who made our experience memorable!

Overall our experience with KimKim was wonderful...though it did not start out that way.

We first were assigned Moreno, who while kind and seeming eager to assist, was not as attentive as I expected. There were numerous times where he failed to respond to my questions in a timely fashion, and one time where I asked some questions, only to not hear back in well over a week. At that point, I questioned KimKim as to whether I should receive a new local specialist. The result was that Moreno would remain with us. Once the trip was secure, we failed to hear from him. While that may be "normal", I didn't feel good about the complete lack of communication.

About 8 weeks prior to our trip however, Melanie came on the scene to "assist" Moreno. She contacted me, introducing herself and well, she was AMAZING!!! She was engaging, provided me plenty of opportunities to get excited about the trip. She communicated with me about a variety of topics regularly. She was extremely prompt with her responses, when I had questions as the trip grew closer. I felt as though she was a member of our TEAM ITALY trip!! She even told us about her favorite cake from Pansa, an Amalfi paneterria. Once she took over for Moreno, it was truly the first time I felt that KimKim deserved a 5 -Star rating....and I messaged that to Melanie via What's App.☺

Most of our guides were amazing including Ina...our Pompeii tour guide and especially Nino, our Path of Gods tour guide!!! Antonio, our driver for our Amalfi Coast tour (which was added to our trip after Melanie contacted us, sharing that the boat company had canceled their tours to Capri due to 'angry seas'), was delightful, kind, and drove those very windy roads with immaculate care and caution. He took us to some special spots along the drive to soak in the "perfect" views of the coast!!!

Our hotels were fabulous...situated in wonderful parts of their perspective cities. We definitely indulged in the fabulous food, drink and culture of the people that surrounded those hotels.

I have already shared Melanie's contact info with one couple friend of ours and plan to pass her name along to others as they ask about our journey. SHE was TOP NOTCH, always available and attentive, and truly excited for us to experience her homeland!!

Grazie mille a Melanie and KimKim for our new family memories!!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Alabardieri Hotel Napoli

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrento City Hotel

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Charme Spagna Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Capri in a Day

Italy

CANCELED DUE TO ANGRY SEAS.....

Panoramic trail nicknamed The Path of the Gods + Transfer from Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nino was incredible and our surprise lunch on the trail with Antonio the local herder on the mountain was simply THE BEST!!!

Transport

Our driver back from Amalfi to Sorrento was with Mario...who also happened to drive us from Naples Airport to Rome upon arrival. He was awful. He drove incredibly fast, making all 5 of us feel nauseous. We had done the same drive the day before with Antonio (as our trip to Capri was canceled) and none of us were nauseous with that driver. I honestly prayed that we would arrive back to the hotel safely. Please do not use him again!!!

Wine Tasting Lunch

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseo and Roman forums adventure + Vatican museum

Rome

It was a LONG day of listening (830-4pm minus an hour for lunch) Our guide was brilliant, but she didn't seem to notice whether all of us were listening or not. I would have preferred a guide who also could meet us where we were...asking what our interests were regarding the Vatican and Colosseo, so as to have been talked WITH rather than talked TO about what we wanted to know.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We planned a shorter trip to Italy in October for a November departure and were expertly handled by our specialist, Fabio. Or should I call him Fabulouso? :) Our trip was effortless, fun, interesting, and so full of some of the best of Italy in 5 short days! We had great accommodations in three wonderful hotels, transportation, tickets, and two awesome experiences - a food tasting tour in Rome and a cooking class in Sorrento. Fabio was available all the time via text or whatsapp, and was super responsive throughout this whole process. It was a little nerve wracking book all of this online, but the experience was top notch. If you want to go explore the world and looking for something other than a tour bus or cruise ship, I would highly recommend KimKim. It was conceirge level service and made the vacation just a breeze.

Thank you, Fabio!! Shelly & Chris

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barberini Roma

Rome

Nice hotel, the room was smaller and it was noisy at night with traffic

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Marziale

Sorrento

Beautiful small hotel. We were in the Youth Room. Big comfy bed and nice bath. Sorrento is walkable and we loved this location.

Authenticity & Character

super neat place !

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Nazionale

Rome

Great hotel. Central location and QUIET for Rome. Not on a busy street at night. Loved it. Staff was awesome. Room was nice and bed comfy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to everything

Staff

very helpful as we arrived early in the morning from our overnight flight

Cleanliness & Comfort

everything perfect

Activity Reviews

Self Guided Visit to the Colosseum & Roman Forum | Skip-the-Line Tickets

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza & Pasta Masterclass in Sorrento

Sorrento

Fun time in Sorrento at the most beautiful location! We made pasta, pizza and tiramisu. Great time!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flavors of Rome | Food Tour with a Local Foodie

Rome

We learned about Rome, Italy and FOOD! Armando was an awesome guide and we visited some fun locations!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the transport staff were really nice. Prompt, Clean vehicles. Awesome

We had a wonderful time on our trip to the Canary Islands. Marta, our travel agent, did an amazing job of planning the trip for us. We had flights to take, cars to rent, and tours to take and everything went very smoothly.

Hotel Reviews

La Palma Princess Hotel

Fuencaliente de la Palma

Very nice hotel. Took about 45 min to arrive at the hotel from the airport, but the drive was amazing along the coastline. The hotel was nice, clean, beautiful surroundings, and good food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa – Adults only

Puerto Calero

Amazing, adults only hotel. Beautiful hotel, good buffet, great drinks, great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

La Graciosa by Sea: Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Snorkel & Kayak

Lanzarote

This activity was a blast! We took a short ferry ride to La Graciosa were we were able to explore on our own for about an hour. Then we boarded a catamaran and sailed around the island, stopping for lunch and a swim. This was a perfect day that I will not forget!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lanzarote Island's Volcanoes & Vineyards

Lanzarote

Perfect day with our awesome, private tour guide. I would definitely recommend this tour. Our guide took us all over Lanzarote, and explained to us all about the volcanoes as well as the vineyards. He even stopped at a couple different beaches at the end of the tour so we could see those sights. He packed us a delicious, local to the Canary Islands, picnic lunch which we enjoyed in a lava tube!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Stargazing Excursion to Roque de Los Muchachos

La Palma

Amazing tour! Would definitely recommend this tour to others. We saw the sunset above the clouds, and then we experienced stargazing like I've never seen it before. Definitely a once in a lifetime tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very steep, winding roads! The driver was awesome.

Transport

FANTASTIC!!! That's the one word I would use to summarize the service, the trip and the awesome KimKim team.

My wife and I loved our Jordanian vacation and have dozens and dozens of photos to cherish the wonderful memories created from the experience.

Ahmed made the undertaking of such a vacation manageable and easy. He answered all of our questions, tailored the package to exactly what we wanted and was always considerate of our request and needs.

Fahad was our personal guide and always made sure we arrived on time while educating us on Jordanian culture and traditions.

It truly was a magnificent trip that created wonderful memories we'll have for the rest of our lives!!!!!

Our first guide was Ping. Loved his enthusiasm and knowledge. I enjoyed the hotel in Bangkok definitely a 5 star place. Did not enjoy the Tree House place. I have issues with my knees so climbing once into the room was it. The room itself was fine and I was brought dinner. Enjoyed the National Park Lake and the bungalow. Got to see an elephant in the wild. Great spotting by our guide. Koh Phi Phi was nice place and enjoyed it. Boats were a challenge again due to my knees Phuket was hot. There were a lot of walking tours so didn’t do them. Did visit some of the Buddahs. The Boathouse Hotel was great. Wonderful food. Saw a show “FantaSea” and had a great time there. The star of the trip however, was Chaing Mai. That city wss great. Saw the city gates and all the prep for their festival of lanterns and lights. Visited a silk factory and learned a lot as well as buying some silk. I think the best thing in Chaing Mai was Happy Elephant Home. Helping with and feeding the elephants was great. I would like to go back to Chaing Mai aagain.

Hotel Reviews

Bodhi Serene Chiang Mai Hotel (SHA Extra Plus)

Chiang Mai

Very quiet hotel with outdoor space to just sit relax and congregate as a group for planning group activities. Within the old city walls. Everyplace was walkable if you wanted or you could get a taxi, tuk tuk or uber like taxi. Right outside the doors there were shops. restaurants and massage places.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Boathouse Phuket

Phuket

Beautiful hotel. Wonderful food. The chef would come out to see if all was to expectation and just talk for a bit. No other hotel had this during our stay They gave us a tour of the hotel amenities as well. Also a first for us. Breakfast watching the beach day begin and supper watching people walk the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Phi Phi The Beach Resort

Krabi

I enjoyed staying here. It was basically a rest break without a lot of dight seeing. Beach was great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lanta Casa Blanca

Ko Lanta, Krabi

This place had beautiful rooms. The food was great. The sea was right there or the pool if preferred. The food was a buffet and delicious. The evening event was spectacular

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our Jungle Camp - Eco Resort

Tambon Klongsok, Ampur Panom, Suratthani

If you’re fit and able to climb stairs to your room it is great. We had asked for a lower room as I can’t climb stairs well. We ended up with a flight of stairs. I stayed in the room until the next day when we left for the National Park Service lake.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

When asked for a room with zero to few stairs would appreciate compliance with request

Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok

Bangkok

Beautiful place. Friendly helpful people. Super great food buffet. Close walking distance to city. Right on the river so able to watch the river traffic

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park

Beautiful park and lake. The boat tide takes you through and around the lake.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend a Day with Elephants in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

A great day spent with the elephants. We fed, washed, mudded and played with the elephants. All the elephants were rescues but the only eay to describe them is as gentle loving giants.

Quality of Experience

The elephants themselves

Food

Made our own soup with a little instruction

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Omo was great

Transport

Took a van from hotel to Happy Elephant Home

Cheow Lan Lake Explorer

Khao Sok National Park

Saw a wild elephant! A highlight for the trip. Also saw some birds

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ayutthaya Historical City

Bangkok

We arrived about noon so those that rode bikes got them. I rode in a motor tuk tuk. As it was noon we asked the guide to feed us before going to the old city. He complied and took us to a wonderful restaurant (Trip review rated) Then we went yo the old city. A lot of ruins but still had a reclining Buddah.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canals of Bangkok & Temple Delight

Bangkok

Saw many temples, a native craft center and all mostly by boat. Boats for me were a challenge but it was a fun day

Quality of Experience

Food

Small restaurant but quick service

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ping was great

Transport

Not a fan of boats but all were helpful getting me in and out without falling

The quality of the tour guides really made this trip special. I had private or very small group tours, and this made for some amazing conversation and learning. My guide in Santiago and Valparaiso, Dominique, provided lots of knowledge and was simply fun to hang out with and talk about differences in Chilean and American culture. The private dinner was the highlight of the trip with fantastic food, wine, and conversation. The Andes hike was also a highlight with only the small group being on the trail--we had the mountains to ourselves! There was a great snack served at the end. The wine tours were of course incredible with high quality wine and a beautiful hotel at Santa Rita. And Rapa Nui was a wonderful experience--I loved the personal touches especially breakfasts at Hotel Taara and the guide was excellent at changing the itinerary when the weather was not great my first day of touring. I loved having a week to spend on the island. The people there are friendly and welcoming and the ceviche the best I have had anywhere!

Unfortunately our trip was not as excepted (or promised in the planning phase). First of all, our booking consisted a 14 people carrier, whereas we ended up with a 6 people carrier. Our driver was not as expected also. He was not very friendly, and he was very against air conditioning resulting us to sit in hot in the back since the car also didn't have any curtains.
But biggest surprise came when we reached to our accommodation, they booked 1 room less than what we paid for. Fortunately in the first one there was empty room, after talking in the phone for half an hour, it settled, and then ensured that this was a one time mistake that never happened before and will not happen again. But, in the next city it was the same thing but this time hotel was full. So 2 of us had to stay in other place which was 2 levels down that ours. This continue in next cities. Half of them had places so we stayed there. the other half did not, so they changed our hotels so that we can stay together. The most unpleasant thing was they make the changes as a gesture, an upgrade they say. But you can easily check the prices online, where we found out that new places were cheaper than our original agreed ones.

We could have than this trip ourselves for 25% cheaper price. but we didn't, because we wanted to have free mind, just have fun. But in the end, I had to deal with many problems on the way, and although Said solved them in a sense, I couldnt relax like I should. And because of this unnecessary stress, we coulnt get the best of our vocation. And whatever good parts were, they were shaded under these unforgivable mistakes and extra efforts we had to take to overcome them.

Raquel and the KImKim team truly planned a wonderful trip of a lifetime for our family. Our accommodations were fantastic, our excursions were amazing and everything went seamlessly. Raquel was very helpful and informative during the planning process and was always responsive when needed. All of our guides were timely and friendly and very good. I would highly recommend KimKim and Raquel if planning a trip to Portugal. We couldn’t have been happier and were very pleased with the trip itinerary app which was so easy to use and informative during our travels. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vincci Baixa

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to get to everything by walking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Vivenda Miranda

Lagos

Beautiful accommodations and view was fantastic from our room. Restaurant was also superb.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Detailed walking tour with an informative guide. So much to see in Lisbon and our guide did a good job of hitting the major highlights.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Boat to Benagil Cave & Carvoeiro Beach

Portugal

This was another favorite part of our trip. The views from the Catamaran were amazing. Best way to see the beautiful landscape, cliffs and caves from a water view. Also it was very relaxing and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

One of our family’s favorite outings. Loved the river cruise and wine tasting with lunch in a private vineyard with the owner. Our host Rafael was wondeful and our driver Fernando was friendly and informative. Also, he went out of his way to make our outing special by stopping along the way to show us scenic overlooks, a dam, and a special port tonic wine tasting on the way home. Highly recommend this excursion. We can’t wait to get the wine we ordered while at the vineyard!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experienced and friendly driver.

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

Perfect way to end our trip with a wonderful night of authentic Portuguese food and music. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the 3 course meal with wine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

This walking tour was very good and our guide was informative and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip itself was very good.we got to get the highlights of all places we visited.lily and Ning were spectacular.their knowledge of the area and history of the places we visited,their communication ,recommendations everything was spectacular. The few things that could have been better are ondays when we had just the driver with no guide, and the trip was lo g,we wished they could communicate in english.im sure that would have made the trip more enjoyable. We chose hotels in the 3 and 4 star categories. All hotels were decent but for the one in kanchanaburi. The walls and bathtub were all breaking apart. The hotel looks good in the reception area but really bad and dingy rooms. The lantern festival was awesome and what an experience! Tiger kingdom was not our cup of tea as it was difficult to see large tigers in small enclosures.on the whole we had a very good trip.Tina took care of all the needs and bookings for us accurately. The communicated regularly and checked in often to keep us posted of the schedule for next day etc.the local guides did that as well.

Everyone of the drivers and guilds were amazing.

Our trip to Thailand was spectacular. First, huge kudos to Lacey from Exotic Voyages who planned our two-week stay. She understood exactly the trip I was hoping for, and planned hotels and experiences that exceeded my already high expectations. I planned the trip for me and my adult daughter, and both of us loved every day of the trip. In a heartbeat, I will recommend Exotic Voyages and Lacey in particular to any friends going to Thailand - or Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.

In part, what made the trip so special were our guides (Ms. Oh in Bangkok, Ms. Parn in the Golden Triangle, and Ms. Mona in Chaing Mai). All of them were warm and friendly, taking the time to share Thai culture with us, answering our many questions and showing us their beautiful and serene country.

Beyond our guides, the experiences that Lacey planned for us were fantastic. Highlights included gorgeous temples, delicious food tours, walking with elephants, a wonderful cooking class (5-course meal!), snorkeling at Phi Phi Island, and because we were there for the holiday, Loy Krathong, lighting and releasing lanterns. We also really appreciated learning more about Buddhism and its meaning.

All of our hotels were top tier, with beautiful accommodations, friendly service, and delicious food.

Thank you again, Lacey, and to our guides (and drivers} who created memories that will last a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

Phuket

This is an incredible property outside of busier Phuket, but still very well located. Our villa was incredible, large and comfortable with our own private pool! We also enjoyed the beach and pool area, including complimentary stand-up paddleboarding, kayaks, etc. Dining was great too. We found ourselves staying on the property to enjoy the restaurants there. I'm sure there's great dining nearby, but we didn't discover it ourselves. I would definitely recommend this hotel for couples and families. If someone wants to be closer to Phuket itself, they may want to choose a different property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

Enchanting! All of the rooms face the valley where the elephants roam, and the view is spectacular. The prettiest picture I took from our entire vacation was from the deck of our room at Anantara. The spa is also excellent; I loved the massage from Poy, and even went back to her a second time. The highlight of course is the elephants, though. It was a wonderful experience to walk the grounds with a small group, guide, and 3 elephants. No riding or petting allowed, which was good; the animals are very well protected and cared for. The only disappointment at Anantara was the Mekong River boat cruise. We were on a boat with a guide who spoke no English, so we weren't able to learn what we'd hoped to. The dining and property in general are top tier. The service at the restaurant - particularly by Kat and Morn - was excellent, and the food at every meal delicious. The infinity pool overlooks the valley with the elephants, an unbeatable view. p.s. let me know if you'd like me to email you the picture from our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

Chiang Mai

The highlight of our stay at NaNirand was the Loy Krathong gala dinner. There was a delicious buffet, krathongs to put in the river, Thai entertainment, a professional photographer who subsequently sent us excellent photos, and someone to teach us how to make krathongs. It was a fantastic evening. Note - your materials called the evening "compulsory", but I think a better word would be "complimentary". Compulsory means we HAVE to go, which isn't what was meant, I believe. The room and property was also very nice, generally well located, etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ariyasom Villa

Bangkok

A lovely oasis in the middle of bustling Bangkok, Ariyasom Villa is a beautiful, quiet property with lush greenery, a nice swimming pool, really nice rooms, and excellent service. The restaurant is also very good, with a vegetarian focus. Breakfast was a highlight; homemade bread and muffins accompanied delicious Thai food. Location also good, close to the skytrain (if interested).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Chiang Mai by tuk tuk

Chiang Mai

It was a wonderful way to end our stay in Chiang Mai. We saw another beautiful temple, which was peacefully quiet in the morning when we went, and then we visited a food market, which I loved. The visit was made all the better by our wonderful guide, Mona, who patiently explained Thai history and Buddhism to us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Khantoke Dinner

Chiang Mai

It was really nice to learn more about the Lanna culture, and to meet the family who provided the meal. It felt very authentic, which we appreciated.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lantern Festival with local guide

Chiang Mai

We explored Chaing Mai a little saw the huge parade for Loy Krathong, and then drove outside the city to launch a lantern. It was a beautiful and memorable experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Love Chiang Mai cooking experience (Morning session)

Chiang Mai

Highly recommend! We loved going to the market to get the food to prepare, and then we spent several hours cooking five different courses. We loved learning about the ingredients and preparations, and then we loved eating what we'd prepared. Absolutely wonderful day!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Krathong Theme Dinner at the hotel

Chiang Mai

I really think the name of this needs to be changed. Compulsory suggests it's mandatory. Really, it was a "complimentary" - i.e., the dinner was included for all guests. And it was excellent! They had a delicious buffet, entertainment, krathongs to put in the river, someone to show us how to make the krathongs. It was truly a gala evening and a joy to attend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Monk Blessing at Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai

This was one of the best activities we did. Amazing to be at the temple before sunrise, with no crowds at all, so we were able to appreciate the beauty and serenity of the temple. Watching the sunrise was beautiful too, and then being blessed by the monks is something I'll always remember. This is a must-do activity for anyone up for an early start to the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anantara Golden Triangle - Day of exploration and relaxation

Chiang Rai

The property is spectacular, and what a privilege it was to spend time with the elephants. We signed up for two activities: 1) Walking with Elephants 2) Boat trip on Mekong River Walking with the elephants was moving and beautiful - I highly recommend it for any visitors. I don't think I'd recommend the Mekong River ride, however. We were on a boat with a captain who spoke no English, so we learned nothing except that we could see Myannmar, Thailand, and Laos from the boat. I would have liked to learn more about the Golden Triangle generally, and wasn't able to from this excursion. Instead, I'd recommend your guests sign up for a spa treatment instead. They have a beautiful spa which would be a much better choice than the river boat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Great experience! Great food and fun exploring the city at night.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

They were a bit touristy, but still really fun to see.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

The Golden Palace and Wat Phraw Kaew were both spectactular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bang Krachao Cycling Tour

Bangkok

Loved the cycling and seeing the Bang Krachao area - a great way to get energized on our first day in Bangkok. Rating a 3 instead of 5 only because the guide didn't speak English, so our Exotic Voyages guide (Ms. Oh) was forced to come with us. Ms. Oh does not like cycling and ended up falling and hurting herself. In the future, it would be ideal for the guide to speak English to prevent an accident like this. Besides this, however, the ride was beautiful and relaxing and a wonderful introduction to Bangkok.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved stopping along the way for local food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As described above

Transport

I worked with three different trip specialists (Ramith was at the very beginning), but as always, it was a simple process with a rewarding trip at the end. Loved Sri Lanka and loved the experience there!

Hotel Review

Flameback Eco Lodge

Weerawila

This place is a gem. Such a neat "glamping" experience with beautiful surroundings in a natural Sri Lankan setting. Wildlife galore, and the service was 10/10. We loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Just stay here, and you'll understand!

Location

You feel like you're off the grid, but you have all the amenities needed to be comfortable.

Staff

They think of things you'll need or want before you even think of them or want them. Top notch.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very well kept, clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Morning Safari in Yala National Park

Sri Lanka

Lots of great animal sitings! Got to see a rare siting of a sloth bear. :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sri Lanka

Beautiful and a must see.

Quality of Experience

10/10 with sites, views and food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had the best driver who had a lot of knowledge and lots of great suggestions. Truly made the trip special for us and went above and beyond.

Transport

No dogs were killed which was all I was worried about. If you've been to this country, you'll understand! Lol

Sangita was a wonderful travel planner. She was kind and easy to interact with. She listened and took care of all the details. She and her team made sure we had everything we needed. When our domestic flights were unexpectedly cancelled mid-trip, she quickly came up with a plan B to do the same thing in a different city that was closer and didn't require a flight. The various guides she set up for us in-country were lovely as well. I would especially recommend Rabin as a trekking guide.

Hotel Reviews

Mountain lodge-Lukla

Such a lovely place to spend the night in after trekking without showers for nearly 2 weeks! The staff was friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived and exchanged our hiking boots for slippers. The rooms are small, but clean and nice. The shower and bathroom were clean and had hot water. I especially loved the dining room (gorgeous painted walls and ceiling!) and the sunroom/sitting room at one end of the building (great place to relax and read!).

Authenticity & Character

Architecture, art, and overall style were beautiful

Location

Away from the main area of town. Quiet and safe.

Staff

Helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Everest View

This hotel was really fun but seemed a little dated for the price. Though after nearly 12 days of hiking, the room and especially the shower was a real luxury. The views were beautiful and the dining experience was wonderful because of the service and the super cool architecture (and fireplace!) and use of the mountainside as part of the building.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Unparalleled location high up on a ridge away from everything else.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean, just slightly dated perhaps for the price you pay to stay here.

Kantipur Temple House

Jyatha, Kathmandu

I cannot say enough about this amazing place. It was like stepping into a different world. At once simple and luxurious, it was the perfect place to stay when we began and ended our time in Nepal. The staff are generous, helpful, kind, and so very friendly. The food/meals were delicious. The architecture was mesmerizing and you could spend hours studying the carved wood and intricate details of the brick and wood rooms. Every nook and cranny of this place has character. DO NOT MISS this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous old-world charm.

Location

Walking distance to great restaurants and shopping. Very safe.

Staff

Very kind and helpful with room service or anything else we needed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was crisp and clean.

Activity Reviews

Visit Pashupatinath Temple & observe evening Aarti Ceremony

Kathmandu

This is a must-do while in Nepal. Take your time soaking in everything with all your senses.

Quality of Experience

Trek from Gorak Shep to Kalapatthar to Pheriche (7-8 hours)

Pheriche

Do not miss Kalapatthar!! It is going to be tempting to sleep in when it's 4:30am and you don't want to get up in the literal freezing cold, but the views are breathtaking. This was my favorite day of the hike. Please do not pass it up!! Hike all the way to the top. Your guide will tell you about halfway up that the views are not all that different at the top, and that's mostly true, but they are actually different in that the top gives you a 360 view. If you are physically able to hike to the top, do it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep to EBC & back to Gorakshep (8-9 hours)

Gorak Shep

This hike was nice and was THE DAY to get to EBC. It was what we had been waiting for. Totally worth it.

Quality of Experience

Trek from Namche to Tengboche(3867 m / about 4 hrs)

Tengboche

I think this is the hardest day of hiking. Lots of uphill, but you will make it and it will be so worth it! Tengboche is a unique place with beautiful views of the mountains!

Fly to Lukla. Trek from Lukla to Phakding (2,610 m/3-4 hrs)

Phakding

The flight and landing at the Lukla airport was unlike any other flight you'll ever take. It is a MUST DO. Loved it. Don't forget to stay around and watch other flights landing and taking off! Grab some tea in Lukla and then head out for the first day of hiking. It's an easy day and a good day to get used to hiking and the weight of your bag.

Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche ( 4,360 m/ 3-4 hrs)

Dingboche

Quality of Experience

Lorena planned a wonderful two weeks in Chile for us. We experienced several exciting things in this diverse country. We enjoyed the funkiness of Valparaiso with a cooking class. The hike in the Maipo Valley with Sebastian was slightly challenging for us 71 year olds but enjoyable. We were always looked after.
Our time in the Atacama Desert did not disappoint. Highlights there included seeing flamingos at Chaxa Lagoon. We also loved the e-bike trip into the desert and the dune buggy trip (both with On Safari Atacama).
The scenery in Patagonia is breathtaking. We had Anna as a terrific guide during an all-day tour in Torres Del Paine. The fjord cruise in Patagonia was very enjoyable. Highlights of the cruise included beautiful scenery, wildlife sightings, delicious lunch, and whiskey served with glacial ice!
Our only disappointment was the cancellation of our cruise to Magdalena Island in Punta Arenas (to see the penguins) due to the weather. It was a last-minute thing, and we were left to fill the day ourselves.
We have used KimKim many times for our trip planning. They did a great job with this one!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel HD Natales

Puerto Natales

The staff at this hotel is outstanding! The location is lovely, quiet and has great views. It is out of town and requires transportation into town. The rooms are tired and the whole hotel could use updating. The staff made up for the hotel's run down condition.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great views, quiet

Staff

Everyone was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Update and better maintenance

Hotel Alma Sur

Punta Arenas

Great breakfast. Staff not helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff did not seem to care about customer service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Great restaurant! It was nice to have filtered water available to refill our containers. There was also always coffee\tea available in the lobby. The front desk was very helpful too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet, but close to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour of Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

Great guide, didn't like getting up so early. Not sure if it was as spectacular as I anticipated.

Buggy Safari Through the Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

Valley of the Moon Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Loved our guide, Anna

E-bike to Lake Cejar

San Pedro de Atacama

Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon

Chile

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Loved seeing the flamingos

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

Great hike and guide. Especially liked the "treats" after the hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Dinner Experience

Santiago

Great food, wine and conversation. It was lovely to spend time in a Chilean home. An authentic experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaíso Tour & Cooking Class

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Loved the cooking class. It was nice to spend time with a Chilean native as well as make some good food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver seemed impaired? Guide seemed bored.

Transport

Our driver for this day was late arriving for pick up at the hotel as well as picking us up from the cooking class. We think he was either drunk or very hung over as he drove erratically at times and needed to stop at a wayside for over half an hour. We regret not reporting this earlier.

Santiago City Tour

Santiago

Kind of lackluster for us but could have been the travel fatigue from redeye flights.

Quality of Experience

Not much depth

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm a very spontaneous solo traveler. I'm not used to booking a guided trip with a planned itinerary but rather buying a plane ticket and figuring out the logistics when I land.

I reached out to several agencies with a two weeks prior to my trip and Mieke was the most prompt and accommodating to my travel needs. She planned out an itinerary and booked everything accordingly despite the short notice I gave her.

I arrived in Bhutan and had THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE! My driver, Jigme, and my guide, Tshering, provided to with a very adaptable and professional experience. Jigme always kept the car clean and shiny that I felt like a diplomat or celebrity everywhere I went. However it was Tshering's breadth of knowledge in his culture from history, traditions, and Buddhist teachings brought me into Bhutan's culture. By the end of my time, I started to feel like I could fit in like any other local. This has made me rethink how I solo travel and considering hiring a guide in my future travels for a more in-depth cultural experience.

In summary, if you are looking for a good cultural tour through Bhutan you can put your trust in Mieke and Windhorse Tours.

Hotel Review

Homestay in Tang Valley

Tang Valley

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Activity Reviews

Experience a homestay in Bhutan

Bhutan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From my first contact with Amanda I knew that I had found the ideal person to work with for my upcoming trek in Nepal. Amanda is an excellent communicator, friendly, quick to respond and worked efficiently to curate the perfect itinerary for my needs. Her enthusiasm for her role is obvious, allowing me to be certain I had found the right fit for me.
The trek itself ran very smoothly. Gelu, our guide, was exceptional - an intelligent, conscientious and professional gentleman whose knowledge and experience added greatly to our experience. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Sange, our porter, is a reliable, hardworking and caring soul whose frequent smiles were heartwarming.
All in all, our entire experience with Kimkim and Himalayan trails was way beyond our expectations. Many thanks to a fantastic team!