Kimkim Trip Reviews

Erin was amazing! She nailed our itinerary on the first try. She was very open to questions and helped us narrow things down as needed. Every transfer, guide, etc was great. We spent two weeks in the region and never had any complications. I would highly recommend Erin for travel planning.

We loved the Estancia La Peninsula where we spend the day riding, eating incredible lamb and learning how the ranch worked. I left feeling like I’d spent the day with family.

We had several guides Devi, Virginia and Shelda (spelling may be wrong) and we learned so much from them about flora, fauna and the geology of the region. They were patient with our pace and let our son pick their brains about travel.

Truly and once in a lifetime trip that we got to share with our 20 something sons. Thank you Erin!

I worked with Randall to organize this trip and give him an A+ for his work! I would highly recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

There were many moving parts in the planning process, starting from our original plan to do this trip in the summer to ultimately doing this in the winter. Also, we went from a smaller 4 person group to start with to a larger multi-generational 8-person family trip. Randall was extremely responsive, patient and very helpful with all the changes that we had to iterate on. Also, kudos to Chris, the emergency contact assigned to us for support while we were on the trip itself - turns out that due to flight delays, we missed a flight connection, and had to enlist him to make some last minute modifications to our plans. Very handy to have this support.

Now on to the trip itself -
It was 10 day trip with bookends in San Jose. It was a fabulous trip enjoyed immensely by everyone in our party. Costa Rica is a fantastic combination of nature, wildlife, activities, and some interesting cultural experiences - something for everyone in our party. We ended up splitting our time between the Arenal volcano area and the Caribbean Coast. We had originally planned to go to the Pacific Coast (and Manuel Antonio Park) which is more on the beaten path but ended up switching the plans to go to the more chill Caribbean Coast. And glad we did, as it fit our travel interest and style really well, and its Afro-Carib vibe is certainly different from the rest of Costa Rica. Thanks to Randall to enable this switch to happen during the planning process and for his recommendation on the activities in the area.

Some details:

Accommodations:
Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs Resort in La Fortuna - Absolutely fantastic place to stay with beautiful grounds, multiple pools (including a hot springs), amazing breakfast buffet, and plenty of drinking/dining options on site, including a sushi place, a pizza place, and a main dining room with gorgeous views. The service was awesome, and each of our rooms had fantastic views of the Arenal volcano to wake up to! We also got super lucky as we had clear views every day during our stay (which I am told was a bit unusual).

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort in Puerto Viejo - Nice, rustic set-up, right across from a beach with nice grounds. A good dining room with a varied menu, and a pleasant lounge area. We ended up enjoying the nail-biting World Cup Finals while there! The breakfast buffet was unexciting. There is a pool with a swim-up bar, which we ended up not using due to the proximity to the beach itself. The service at the resort was a bit uneven, e.g., they only give you one key per room (regardless of number of guests in the room), and they didn't seem to have the front desk manned after hours in case of any issues like getting locked out. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude. Also, one of our rooms had a leaking AC unit, and the staff did not (or were not able to) fix it and we ended up not using it. The location of the resort is great though with easy access to Puerto Viejo dining and night life.

Transportation - Excellent set-up for our point-to-point movement. Nice, comfortable vans, with good air-conditioning to make some of the 4-5 hour drives very pleasant.

Activities:
The highlights of our trip to the Arenal Volcano area were:
- The Penas Blanco safari float excursion was a very enjoyable experience for the older folks in our group (who wanted to skip the mountain biking some of the others did). It was a short drive from our hotel, so it gave us plenty of time on the water and sighting of some good wildlife.
- The Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge tour was fun, gave us a glimpse of the countryside heading up north to the park near the Nigaragucan border. We were lucky enough to see plenty of wildlife (caiman, monkeys, sloths, toucans, etc.) both on the boat and when we got off the boat when our guide sighted something. The chocolate tour at Don Domingo's farm nearby at the end was a nice touch.
- The white water rafting class II/III excursion on the Blasa river that the younger folks in our group did with Wave Expedition was exciting, perhaps a bit too exciting. Two of them were thrown off the raft very early on in the ride, and were not fully ready/prepared for it - the class category are definitely to be taken seriously!
- Mistico Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall - really nice for the entire group. Great perspective crossing the bridges over the forest canopy and biodiversity and wildlife sighting along the walk. The La Fortuna Waterfall is a definite must do for those that can brave the multiple steps down - the swimming in the watering hole below was a highlight.
- The mountain biking tour was nothing too exciting. It's pleasant enough, but most of it was along a paved road - we were expecting it be more on dirt roads or trail riding. It did allow for us to stretch our legs during the trip. The highlight was a coati along the roadside and the views at the end of the ride overlooking Lake Arenal and the volcano in the background.
- Enjoyed the downtime in the town of La Fortuna more than we had anticipated. Some good local dining options - our find was Choza del Laurel - authentic, traditional plates and amazing freshly ground and brewed coffee at the end!

The Maleku Tribal Village visit was very disappointing. It didn't seem to match the description for it at all: We didn't see any village on the tour, neither did we get served a traditional lunch, nor observe any of the sights mentioned in the write-up. If seemed that those of us who did the zip-lining tour got to do the same experience as well, so not sure what one got for doing the Maleku tour. I would suggest that KimKim review this offering.

The highlights of our trip on the Caribbean Coast were:
- Bribri Tribal and Waterfall visit on the Caribbean Coast along with the chocolate making part. A must-do! Our guide Gloria was awesome
- Jaguar Rescue Center tour - despite the fact that there are no jaguars there - the work they are putting into rescuing and rehabbing the various animals is impressive and worth supporting
- Enjoying the night life and dining in the town of Puerto Viejo including an impromptu music festival one of the nights we were there!
- Beach time at the various beaches in the area, including the one across the street from our hotel
- Some dining finds were Chile Rojo and Lidia's Place in PV and El Refugio in a garden setting down the road near Playa Punta Uva.

The not so good experience was the Cahuita Park Hike & Snorkel tour - mostly because the weather resulted in the snorkeling part being cancelled. We learnt that this is not uncommon for this time of the year - so obviously this is hard to control for and part of nature being in the tropical part of the country - but the guests need to be told about it more explicitly, and if the snorkeling part is being cancelled, they should give the guests the option to opt out of the tour altogether as snorkeling is a big part of the reason we had signed up for it. The Cahuita Park hike is something that one can easily do on your own.

Overall, a great trip. Thanks to Randall and team for their outstanding work in getting everything organized for us!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs Resort in La Fortuna - Absolutely fantastic place to stay with beautiful grounds, multiple pools (including a hot springs), amazing breakfast buffet, and plenty of drinking/dining options on site, including a sushi place, a pizza place, and a main dining room with gorgeous views. The service was awesome, and each of our rooms had fantastic views of the Arenal volcano to wake up to! We also got super lucky as we had clear views every day during our stay (which I am told was a bit unusual).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Attentive and service oriented. They even flagged us down as we were departing as some of us had left stuff like charging cords behind in our rooms!

Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

Nice, rustic set-up, right across from a beach with nice grounds. A good dining room with a varied menu, and a pleasant lounge area. We ended up enjoying the nail-biting World Cup Finals while there! The breakfast buffet was unexciting. There is a pool with a swim-up bar, which we ended up not using due to the proximity to the beach itself. The service at the resort was a bit uneven, e.g., they only give you one key per room (regardless of number of guests in the room), and they didn't seem to have the front desk manned after hours in case of any issues like getting locked out. Also, one of our rooms had a leaking AC unit, and the staff did not (or were not able to) fix it and we ended up not using it. The location of the resort is great though with easy access to Puerto Viejo dining and night life.

Authenticity & Character

Good grounds, nice lounge area and bar.

Location

Access to town, access to Cocles beach

Staff

Uneven service and staff didn't seems fully trained for customer service for a place like this. Some people were friendly and nice and some not so. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude and condescending including berating one of the older folks in our group for taking off her wrist tag :(

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC in one room was leaking and did not get fixed. Have multiple keys to the room if there are more than one guest.

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

Location, location, location. Our room overlooking the park was nice and light.

Crowne Plaza San José La Sabana

San José

Location is a bit removed from downtown, although proximity to the airport and the park next door is nice. The breakfast Buffett was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They stopped along the way when they'd sight wildlife. The 2-toed sloth sighting up close was special.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional guide - she made our long drive to the activity very fun and informational with loads of information about the region, the country, and the flora/fauna. She had amazing tips for us regarding dinner spots in town.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mountain Biking

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was way better than we had expected! Great experience overall, with lots of wildlife sighting and nicely paced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

The experience did NOT fit the description. There was no village, no feast, no sights mentioned. It seems that they just jammed something at the last minute. Maybe it wa because we picked an afternoon session as we were doing another activity in the morning??

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

You're supporting a good cause!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Awesome experience, and a really worthy cause. We had an excellent guide (a Canadian volunteering) who made everything really fun and enjoyable, in addition to being super informational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used rental banana bikes from our hotel to get to the tour. It was soaking rain, but part of the experience!

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Amazing experience. One of the highlight of our trip. The chocolate making process if very organic, very insightful. The village tour is very informational and you get a good sense of the Bribri culture!

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooked meal was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learnt a lot from our guide Gloria

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano Hike was a really nice introduction to the area. Having just taken a long van ride from San Jose, it was nice to get out and stretch and walk with the volcano in the vicinity. Baldi - nice way to finish the evening! Worth visiting once - quite a spot with multiple pools and various areas to hang out.

Quality of Experience

Food

Pre included Baldi dinner is not too exciting but can't complain as it is pre-paid!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Juan was exceptionally knowledgable and really passionate about what he was doing!

Transport

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The tour was first re-scheduled to another day and then the snorkeling part was cancelled due to bad weather. The Cahuita Park hike part was very nice despite the pouring down rain. We got to see the white capuchin monkey floricking up close, howler monkeys creating a racket, lots of iguanas, and also various other flora/fauna. Beautiful setting along the sea.

Quality of Experience

Check if this is good time of the year for snorkeling

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family trip to Norway was unforgettable and seamlessly arranged by the KimKim team, most notably Julia, with help from Meree. We had some challenges scheduling the trip due to COVID and a personal emergency. Julia was able to navigate these changes coming up with a wonderful itinerary. Our goal was to spend family time amid the snow and Northern Lights at Christmas. We started in Oslo, where a lovely boutique hotel was booked for us. It was in the middle of the city with easy access to museums and restaurants. We loved walking through the Vigeland sculpture museum and enjoying Gustav Vigeland's works. Also, the harbor and its excellent restaurants were enjoyable.
We then traveled to Tromso. Julia arranged an unforgettable tour of the Tromso Ice Domes and a snowmobile trip exploring the Northern Tip of Norway, which borders Sweden and Finland, the Three-Country Cairn. We then traveled by minibus to a location outside Tromso for a spectacular Northern Lights display. Our travels then took us to Alta, where we went on a dogsledding trek with a guide who has successfully competed with her dogs in many dogsledding races, including the famed Iditarod. We dined in the restaurant where her husband, the former chef for the King of Norway, prepared an exquisite 5-course meal with local ingredients.
It was a magical time that will stay with us forever. I am grateful to Julia and the team for making it possible.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

The hotel location in the center of Oslo within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, and museums. The rooms are comfortable and immaculate. The hotel staff is friendly and very helpful. There is a lovely smorgasbord breakfast included in the room price. The restaurant also serves dinner. The decor is modern and tasteful while respecting the historic building. I enjoyed breakfasting at the bar overlooking the street at 7 am and watching Oslo come to life.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central - close to restaurants, museums, and public transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malangen Resort

Skutvik, Meistervik

This hotel comprises apartments and separate cottages, all overlooking the Fjord. The unit I had was owned by a Tromso family who invited guests to write in their guestbook telling a little about themselves and where they were from. There was a basket of flannel slippers near the door, so we could remove our snowy boots in the mudroom. The decor was simple and tasteful. Like much of Scandinavia, the unit was immaculate. The room charge included an excellent smorgasbord for breakfast. Dinner was available at an extra charge. The first night we ordered off of the menu. On the second night, we had the Christmas buffet. Both were excellent. The dining room was decorated for Christmas in a very tasteful way. The furnishings were comfortable and modern.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit remote but lovely

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora

Tromsø

The Hotel Aurora was located in central Tromso. It was more reminiscent of a chain hotel than the other more boutique-like hotels we stayed at. The decor was modern, and the facilities and rooms were immaculate. The biggest advantage was the location which gave easy access to the many tours available in Tromso. All meals were included. They were buffet-style and simple, but the food was very good.

Authenticity & Character

It felt more chain-like but was very comfortable

Location

Close to tour pickup sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge

Alta

This beautiful mountain lodge is located a few kilometers outside of Alta. It is rustic but modern and very cozy and inviting. The rooms were lovely. I had a beautiful view of one of the ski slopes and the bison shed! The staff was particularly friendly and warm. They went out of their way to make sure that we were comfortable. I loved chatting about local traditions and the way of life in Northern Norway. The room price included a delicious smorgasbord breakfast, and dinner was also available. There was a set menu for each evening. The facility offered several winter activities, including snowshoeing, skiing, tubing, and watching the Northern Lights from the mountaintop warmed by a campfire.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ice domes tour and reindeers

Tromsø

This was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family. Our guide was a young Swedish man who was knowledgeable and also very engaging! The structure itself is amazing. It was fascinating to learn about how the domes are constructed. There are gorgeous ice carvings of Norwegian explorers and arctic animals inside each room. It is possible to book an overnight stay in one of the rooms though the shower and bathroom facilities are shared and a bit rustic. The ice beds are topped with a mattress and reindeer skins for warmth. We enjoyed a shot at the bar in glasses made of ice. We also had a simple stew for lunch in the dining room. There was a herd of reindeer that we were able to observe. After the tour, we walked up a path to a dog sledding kennel where there was no other than Santa! I wonder if he made his journey that evening by dogsled or with reindeer pulling his sleigh!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lapland Snowmobile Excursion

Tromsø

This was an all-day event in a very remote and beautiful place. The guides were knowledgeable, and I learned much about this area. We traveled to a manmade island that marks the borders of Sweden, Norway, and Finland . It is the northernmost international tripoint in the world. We traveled here on Christmas Day in the depth of the polar nights. The sky was clear, and during the 3 hours of dusk, the sky was blue with the gorgeous color of a sunset (though the sun never appears) reflected on the snowy terrain. Truly an unforgettable experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was a lovely warming stew served outside

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunt by Bus

Tromsø

This was a trip by minibus with a group of 15 people originating in Tromso. The guide is familiar with the local microclimate and can find a spot where the Northern Lights are likely to be seen, even if it is cloudy in Tromso. We were lucky, needing to travel only about 45 minutes outside of Tromso. The guide set up a campfire and had warm drinks for us. He had an undergraduate degree in physics and was a graduate student at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromso, studying clean energy and its integration into the grid. Not only was he able to explain the science behind the northern lights, he also provided insight into the vibrant scientific and cultural landscape of Northern Norway. Hearing fellow travelers' stories about the campfire was also interesting. We were richly rewarded for our patience with a spectacular show of the lights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dog Sledding & Northern Lights

Alta

If I could give this experience 10 stars, I would. It was a fabulous from start to finish, particularly since Tine and Hanna, our guides, are the real deal. They have both successfully raced their dogs internationally, notably in the Iditarod. The dogs that pulled the sleds were wonderfully socialized, and it was obvious that they loved their work. We learned how to harness the dogs and drive the sleds. We then took off on a lively trip through woods and fields in the beautiful Norwegian countryside under the Northern Lights. The evening ended around a campfire with a mug of warm cocoa or tea. The venue is also an Inn and has a world-class restaurant. The chef, Trasti, is phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full activity day

Alta

The lodge is an all-inclusive winter activity destination place. While we could not participate in scheduled activities on the mountain due to severe weather (several roads were closed), we could go out on our own by snowshoe. The staff was wonderful and treated us like family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The kimkim platform was user friendly and easy to navigate. The service allowed me to interact with the travel specialist directly and in real time. I was very pleased with the service. My children and I enjoyed the Northern Lights and tour of Oslo the most. The whale watching consumed the entire day after a long travel day. We returned from the whale watching at 1700 and were expected to go on a reindeer feeding and sledding event at 1800. It was too much, too fast and we cancelled it. Unfortunately I was not offered any refund due to kimkim cancellation policy. I also did not expect to have so much additional travel expense once I arrived. The trip cost per person seems very high considering it was me and 2 children sleeping in one hotel room and the only travel cost covered was by train (where kids travel free or discounted). In addition to paying for international flight I was also responsible for all in-country air travel and local transportation. Although the kimkim service was great it was quite expensive.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Excellent hotel with great amenities and breakfast

Bergstadens Hotel

Røros

Nice staff but hotel needs significant improvements. Breakfast was ok

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Polar

Tromsø

Dated hotel but nice enough. We were too busy for breakfast at this location.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø

Tromsø

Great experience. Kids favorite! Guides were friendly and knowledgeable. They did not show up until a few minutes after meeting time which caused some stress

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

Neat to see humpback whales but did not know we would be on boat for 9 hours. Would have used that time differently Not able to go on next excursion that evening because we arrived back too late.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A lot of guests were sea sick. My daughter got queezy and slept most of the time

Reindeer Feeding & Northern Lights Experience

Tromsø

Not able to participate. Scheduled to begin 1 hour after our return from whale watching. This is after a long day of travel and la night of Nothern Lights. Kim Kim could have done a better job of scheduling to accommodate. The following day was just a travel day back to Oslo. Could we have done something then instead of trying to cram three excursions into 24 hour period?

Quality of Experience

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Mari was great and we enjoyed our day with her

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I could not ask for anything more with regards to Pedro and his services during our Portugal trip. We would receive notifications as to who was going to pick us up and the designated time. If we had questions regarding our trip, we got our questions answered. So glad I was able to find Kimkim.com to customize our trip to fit our needs for 9 days. Will definitely use Kimkim.com again.

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Turim Santa Maria

Funchal

Authenticity & Character

The location

Location

Staff

Have staff in the pool area more receptive. Everyone else was nice and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center of town

Staff

Very approachable and nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The Fado experience was great. The singing was amazing and an intimate experience since it was a small venue. The food and wine was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

The iberico pork, the cod fish and the steak

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

Nice transportation

Unveil the Western landscapes of Madeira Island on a Small Group Tour

Madeira

Nuno was very knowledgeable as he drove us to every point. He was very patient and gave us ample time in every location.

Quality of Experience

Our driver's skill in driving up and town the narrow roads.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge and skills in driving

Transport

Relaxation and Exploration: A Perfect Day of Leisure on the Eastern Side of Madeira

Madeira

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nuno was able to accommodate our last minute Toboggan ride and cable car experience.

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

The tour was better than we expected. The driver was friendly and prompt.

Quality of Experience

Would definitely recommend the boat ride because it was so scenic and memorable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver went out of his way to show us Porto and Gaia so we can experience Porto while there is still daylight.

Transport

The ride was very comfortable.

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Quality of Experience

The scenic view from the boatride

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The guide even had restaurant recommendations.

Transport

The smooth boat ride.

Actually, Colombia was not my main destination, it was more of an add-on for my trip to Brazil. However, once I stepped into this fantastic realm, I am blown away and even extended my holiday. I love everything about Colombia, the food, the view, and the people, and I am already planning to come back. Wendy, my local specialist, is extremely helpful and quick to respond to my messages. The itinerary she arranged for me is amazing, and I had great fun every day. The local guides are also the highlights, they are all really passionate and informative. I have to say my favorite place in Colombia has to be Cartagena, the colorful buildings and Caribbean coasts are breathtaking and memorable. To be honest, every place I went to is incredible, and each has its unique views and cultures. I can't believe that my main impression of Colombia is mainly Encanto and El Dorado before, but I know I have a whole new understanding of Colombia, thanks to Wendy and all the local guides.

Activity Reviews

Walking Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour with a Professional Photographer

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the iconic Comuna 13 & Medellín

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colombian Chocolates and Basketry Workshop

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cócora Valley & Salento

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover La Candelaria & The Monserrate Hill

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Dinner

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Matias (and KimKim) for helping plan, arrange and support a wonderful trip!! We had memorable experiences in Buenos Aires, not only because the WC Team won, but because we have wonderful tour guides, dinners and casual meetups. We enjoyed the beautiful lakes and mountains of Bariloche, Patagonia and the beaches and museums of Punta de Este. It was a well balanced trip with plenty of time for relaxation. Thank you!!!

Activity Review

Lake Kayaking

Bariloche

Wonderful guide and experience. Lunch on an isle and in the middle of paradise was terrific!

Said was wonderful, and friendly!! If I were to visit Morocco again, I would definitely want him to guide us. Our driver, Mohammed was quiet but a very nice gentleman. Timely and drove well.
Kamal in Fez was very knowledgeable and nice. He took to a restaurant for lunch, which turned out to be the best meal of our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Maison Bleue And Spa

Fes

Loved our stay at this hotel. Loved the “complexity” of the different buildings. We hung out by the sitting area by the restaurant and the service was great. The welcome with the dates with walnuts was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Every single staff member was very nice, courteous and professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradis Du Sahara

Merzouga

Pros: Nice tents Amazing staff Good food!! Location Cons: Some of the tents had water and heat issues Bathrooms were very basic but considering it’s a desert, it was set up well..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just check to make sure the heaters work well throughout the night. Water also stopped a few times for us. If there are time restrictions due to eco-conservation, it would be nice to know beforehand.

Dar Chamaa

Ouarzazate

Dinner is included in your stay at this place. We only found out when we got there. The place is okay. Not the cleanest. I would rate it a 2-3star place

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The shower overflowed into our room. Also the rooms were not the cleanest

Riad Wow

Marrakech

Enjoyed the location of this place. Within the Medina and walking distance to pretty much everything. Staff was friendly and the courtyard was pretty and clean. They have a rooftop area with a bar but the staff, although extremely friendly, was not the best bartender.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Absolutely stunning!! Definitely check out this mosque from the inside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was not the best. It was a large group. We could barely hear or understand him.

Transport

We walked. Not sure about transport within the mosque

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Amazing tour with Kamal. He was knowledgeable about Islam as a religion and the town of Fez. Just didn’t care for the stores they take us to during the tour for shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Camel Trek into a Luxury Sahara Camp

Morocco

Amazing experience on camelbacks at sunset!! An absolute must do!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sahara to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge

Morocco

Beautiful scenery during this drive!

Quality of Experience

Tour Marrakech with a private guide

Marrakesh

This tour was good. But just inside the Medina. It would have been better if it included the Majorelle Gardens as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class

Morocco

Our cooking class was at Faim D’epices just outside of Marrakech. Transport is provided by the class. Run by a couple - a French person, Michele and his wife, chef Ilham. It was really fun day! The cooking class was fun. Michele was entertaining and educational and chef Ilham shared some amazing recipes. Definitely a thumbs up and fun activity in Marrakech

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

This was a trip of a lifetime! Everything happened exactly how Eleni planned. The tours she chose were fantastic. All of our tour guides were knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, were fun, and provided an amazing experience. The hotels that Eleni chose for us were perfect. I can't say enough about how amazing the service was for the planning of this trip and will definetly use KimKim again.

Francesca was fantastic!

She was exceptionally quick, responsive and accommodative during the planning stages of our trip to Peru. We've worked with various travel planners at other companies and working with Francesca was definitely the smoothest experience we've had.

Francesca and her team really shined when our Peru trip had to abruptly be changed. Due to a presidential coup and a state of emergency, we had to cancel our Machu Picchu plans and quickly figure out a new itinerary. Francesca jumped in and did her best to secure refunds for the Peru services that were cancelled and then was very helpful in securing new logistics and plans for a trip to Mexico instead...all on very short notice and during peak Xmas season.

Many thanks to Francesca, her local agency team and Kimkim!

we were very pleased with the trip and all your crew and Abdou for the caring and help.Really was enjoyable.

If the idea behind using an agency is to make the travel experience seamless and easy, then working with kimkim and their local partners is absolutely the right move. Our flight from the US was cancelled and rescheduled...they made everything work. They recommended and booked wonderful hotels, adapted on the fly to changes we requested, and were there for us whenever we reached out.
Marrakesh is unique and interesting and Fes is all about the history and the culture, but you cannot beat spending time in the Sahara for sheer epic wonder.

Hotel Reviews

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

True desert experience. Don't miss sunrise and sunset

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Palais Amani

Fès

Had dinner ready for us at 3am because of delayed flights. Who does that?

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Le Berbere Palace

Ouarzazate

Interested in Hollywood? This is the place for you in Morocco.

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Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authentic riad, not a purpose built hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central, but a bit sketchy to locate

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

Little bit odd but relaxing

Ali was very informative and helpful in Marrakech, showing us around the old Medina including the mosque, gardens, and souks. He accommodated our preferences, asking where we wanted to spend the most time

This trip began in Nov 2019 just before Covid hit so unfortunately we had to postpone until Sep 2022. Sam was incredibly helpful with planning and tweaking to accommodate our changes.
We were amazed by the level of detail Sam provided and we actually spoke to him by phone from Spain which left us feeling very comfortable with the itinerary and that everything was above board.
We absolutely got value for money. Accommodation was 95% very good with just a couple of little glitches but these were compensated with other items. Drivers, guides and transport were above what we anticipated.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Kimkim in general but Sam in particular.
In fact, we are currently trying to organise a trip to the UK with Kimkim and do so very confidently

We planned a seven day trip in Morocco for seven people and everything was amazing. The organization was top notch and the operation was flawless. A special shout-out to Khalid our guide-driver and Saïd, our organizer, they were always available, checking in to make sure we were okay and super attentive. If you are looking to plan a magical trip to Morocco, I highly recommend Original Travels.

We visited 3 countries, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. Egypt was outstanding 4.5/5. The driver was excellent and the guide although a bit quiet at times was smart and helpful. Jordan was the highlight of the trip. All visitors must go to Petra and Wadi Rum. Mind blowing to say the least. If you go you must ask for Anees to be you guide! 10 out of 10 fantastic person! The trip fell off a bit in Israel as we were only given a driver and no guide. I don’t think a tourist should be left to navigate Old Jerusalem on his own. We did have to spend an additional $1150 on guides in Israel to get the full experience. Overall an amazing trip though. And oh yes the help we received from ambassadors at the airports in Cairo and Amman was outstanding as well!

Hotel Reviews

Helnan Dreamland Hotel & Conference Center

6th of October City

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Shams al weibdeh hotel apartment

Amman

Authenticity & Character

Location

You

Staff

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Petra Palace

Wadi Musa, Petra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holy Land Hotel - Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Nof Ginosar Kibbutrz Hotel

Tiberias

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Tal By the Beach Hotel

Tel Aviv

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Staff

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Activity Reviews

Cairo Airport - Cairo (Transfer)

Egypt

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giza Pyramids Tour with Sakkara & Memphis

Egypt

Quality of Experience

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Cairo - Tour3 - Museum & Mosques

Egypt

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Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

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Amman-Jarash-Ajloun-Amman city tour

Jordan

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Amman-Madaba-Mount Nebo-Karak-Petra

Jordan

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Food

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Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Petra

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Trip to Masada & Qumran

Israel

Qumran closed when we got there

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Old City Jerusalem

Israel

No guide provided. Disappointing

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Jerusalem, Mount of Olives and Mt Zion

Israel

No guide

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Day Trip to Tiberias, Haifa, Caesarea and Acre

Israel

No guide

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Our Christmas Mexico trip was perfectly planned - everything ran smoothly, our guides were extremely knowledgable , flexible and friendly, and the suggested tours and experiences were fun and all worth our time and money! The best guides were our 'Mexico a pied' guide Emilio in Mexico City who showed us the culture and history and food culture in a tour around the historical district, Alex from etnotouristica for our Oaxaca tour of Monte Alban and the crafts people, and the guides from Huatulco Salvaje who guided us through the National Park's ecosystems and to the magic waterfalls. We are grateful to them for sharing so much of their beautiful country with us!

Hotel Reviews

Zócalo Central

Mexico City

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Hotel Boutique Casa Garay

Oaxaca

Images on web are not what the hotel looks like. Rooms are a dark, all face in towards an atrium / common spaces + staircase so you hear when everyone comes home at night. Roof terrace and balcony are not in use. Breakfast is not served until 8:30, which is a problem if you are leaving for tours in the morning. It is generally clean but looks very 'lived-in' and is in need of some upgrading. Def. not a "5 star boutique hotel" and not what could be expected at the price. During our stay there were plumbing problems (black water, water turned off at night on one of our rooms), which eventually got fixed but no extra water, refunds, move to other rooms were offered. Would def. not recommend

Authenticity & Character

Location

right in the middle of center, close walk to cathedral and other attractions

Staff

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Las Brisas Huatulco

Santa Maria Huatulco

Great place for beach fun! 3 beaches (1 with water sports) and 5(?) separate 'pueblos' break up the large complex. Recommend to stay in "Mar" section - it has a separate lounge ("Beach Club") for Continental breakfast and happy hour from 5-7. Great service, friendly and helpful. Food is soso (especially the lunch buffet), but La Crocecita with fun (La Crema Bar + Pizzeria) and other good food options and the amazing 'Ocean' restaurant in the Cosmo condo complex next door are only a short taxi ride away. "El MExicano" is the nicest restaurant on site, located on one of the beaches. Be prepared for a lot of walking in the complex - it has beautiful walks along the beaches to get from one end to the other (or hilly walks and steps, depending on where you live), but shuttles can also take you around. Great entertainment with DJ's, bands, cultural groups, evening shows., and kids' crafts. On site store with everything you could need for the beach and your OTC medicine cabinet. Tour into the National Park and surrounding beaches with Huatulco Salvaje!

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Activity Reviews

Tour of historic Mexico City with street food tasting

Mexico City

Emilio from 'Mexico a pieds' was amazing. He knew everything....

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Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.

Oaxaca

Alex from etnotouristica was an amazing guide!

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Gastronomic Indigenous Roots

Oaxaca

THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD on our entire trip was in Oaxaca!

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Food

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Explore Wild Huatulco

Mexico

Fascinating tour through the National Park. Our guide knew all fauna and flora and their medical uses. Great snorkeling, too!

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Magical Waterfalls Adventure

Mexico

The waterfalls were fun - our guide Raoul was always the first one int he water, unter the falls, climbing through the crevices!

Quality of Experience

Food

Expect local dishes.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan

Mexico City

Interesting. We had an average guide.

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We are finally back from our trip and although we are glad to be back, we will cherish this trip as it was a phenomenal experience. From our first day in Chouen to our last day in Casa Blanca everything worked smoothly and when there was anything to be fixed, Said delivered immediately

I'd like to thank the whole KimKim team for making this possible. From Said's constant follow-up on our trip to Abdoul's very friendly and efficient service to the job done by both our guides in Chouen and Marrakesh, every little detail made our trip a memorable one.

Our day in the Blue City, the ruins at Volubilis, the Riad in Fez, our trip to the Market in Marrakesh, the donuts Hasan took us to in our culinary tour, our ATV tour in Agafay were only some of the memorable highlights of the trip

Hotel Review

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Simple but very nice and the service is super friendly - one amazing fact: teh best WiFi of the whole trip!

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Activity Review

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

We had an amazing day visiting the city of Marrakesh, it's mosques, streets, and the Majorelle Gardens, and closing the day with a wonderful private food tour of the market. She took us on an interesting, colorful, and rich experience while giving us wonderful memories and flavors we will always remember. I would always contact her if we plan on visiting Marrakesh again.

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Food

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Transport

Abdoul, our driver, made us feel at home from the moment he picked us up at the airport, until he saw us off to come back home. He was always warm, funny, kind and friendly and by far, one of the best drivers we've ever seen. His expertise was palpable at every moment of the trip. We couldn't be more grateful for having Abdoul take us all around Morocco!

Lydia and her team at New Zealand Self Drive Tours were fantastic! They were quick to respond when there was a minor issue at one of the wine cellars and the issue was resolved immediately. And this was on Christmas eve!! The app was extremely helpful throughout our drive. Just one suggestion for the folks at the New Zealand Fine Touring-- The Milford Fly Cruise Fly website is inaccurate about the pick up times from the hotels in Queensland for the 10 am trip. Please let them know that people will be picked up at 8:45 am and not 10 am as stated in the app and on the website.
Thanks again, Lydia & team for a memorable NZ vacation.

Hotel Review

QT Wellington

Wellington

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Activity Reviews

Auckland City & Waitakere Ranges

Auckland

Murray and Erin are excellent guides!

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Cloudy Bay - Bookable Experience

Blenheim

A beautiful winery and a great tasting experience. The lunch at Jack's Raw bar was just great.

I can't say enough about the KimKim process and their team. Our first trip with them was a family trip to Italy in July 2022, and everything that they either arranged or suggested was perfect for us and our expectations. Immediately following our family time in Italy, our kids (19 and 21 years old) traveled by themselves for a week under a KimKim arranged itinerary, and most recently, our kids just came back from a trip to Thailand, also coordinated through KimKim. They have proved themselves to be responsive, flexible, and reliable for each of our trips, and we have since recommended them to others.