Kimkim Trip Reviews

Hello Team Kimkim,

Thank you for providing us a spectacular experience at Morocco. Thanks heaps to Hakim for putting this trip together and being so responsive to all our requests to change. A million thanks to Abdul Rahim ( we called him Ibrahim ) for going out of his way to help us all throughout the trip. The guides we met at every place we went were brilliant. A special mention to Rafi . His sense of humour and willingness to help me with something he was not involved in was just superb. All in all a super trip. Everything flowed together seamlessly. Well planned and executed- will always recommend Kimkim

Hotel Reviews

Puerta Azul

Chefchaouen

Dar Sultan

Tangier

The people were lovely but felt something was lacking.

Kenzi Basma Hotel

Casablanca

Hotel and room was great but the bathroom had no exhaust. The bathroom was always way too wet

Riad Signature

Marrakech

Lovely place, friendly and helpful folks. Lovely stay

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Tangier Airport to your Accommodation in Tangier

Morocco

Morning Guided Tour in Tangier

Morocco

Afternoon Guided Tour in Chefchaouen

Morocco

Morning Guided Tour in Casablanca

Morocco

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Morocco

Day-Trip to Essaouira, Return to Marrakech

Marrakesh

The itinerary was well prepared, keeping the group's requests for preferred activities, hikes and hotel style selection.
Emi communicated well in preparation for the trip, and provided a local contact to work with locally at each stop. When programs were to be reorganized when cancelled planned activities ( 3 times, for local unpredictable reasons), I wish there had been better communication from Kimkim and contacts to avoid the stress of having to select a new alternative for the specific day.
Drivers for private transportation were always punctual, friendly and reliable.
The hotels were all clean, comfortable and friendly reception. I can recommend each of them.
Guides were helpful and pleasant.
Highlights for me were French Valley, kayak at Perito Moreno glacier, also the Tango show in Buenos Aires. El Chalten is definitely a highlight as well!
thank you Emi and Kimkim. i have recommended you to a couple friends .

Our experience was amazing. Our guide, Alfredo was fantastic in La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area. Jose gave a wonderful tour in Corcovado National Park. I felt communications were not well communicated , as some timings were not correct. Giving us more complete details would have been helpful. We had to call to verify info that was incorrect and our call was not returned when they said they would call.

Hotel Reviews

Las Caletas Lodge

Puntarenas

The accommodation was rustic, but very clean. There was no air conditioning, only ceiling fans. The staff was wonderful as was the food. The rooms would have been more comfortable with more fans and better lighting. The view from the hotel was wonderful with lots of local monkeys and wildlife. Daniel was great and very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

The wildlife

Location

A dock for landing.

Staff

Daniel was the best. Everyone else was very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, but needed more fans and better lighting in clothing storage areas.

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

We loved the private cabanas, the pool, pool bar and hot tub. We did not have wifi in the rooms, only common areas. This meant we could not reach our other friends unless we knocked on their door. There were several huge roaches in our room. The front desk didn’t seem too concerned. Overall I liked the resort, but they could address the above issues.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the view of Arenal Volcano and local flowers

Location

Good location

Staff

They were helpful, if needed

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bugs in room, pillows were huge and hard. They were not comfortable to sleep on. The bed was comfortable.

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Our rooms were on the second floor, centrally located. They were clean and very convenient to the beach. I would’ve liked one more day there.

Authenticity & Character

Situated amongst the trees with lots of wildlife.

Location

Good beach location, but needed taxis to go everywhere.

Staff

Friendly reception and waitstaff very attentive at beach and restaurant. Our waiter Juan Carlo(I think) was great at dinner.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable, air conditioned and good wifi.

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Very nice and modern hotel with good air conditioning and wifi. It was comfortable with a nice pool in downtown San Jose

Authenticity & Character

Comfortable for shuttles to next location

Location

Easy walk to a few restaurants, but far from the airport

Staff

The restaurant staff was very nice and they all worked very hard.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice clean rooms and showers

Activity Reviews

Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Priscilla was fantastic. She guided us through preparation of an authentic Costa Rican meal. Her partner assisted with making tortillas and coffee. The meal was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Learning about new foods and eating an authentic meal.

Food

All of the food was good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our drivers were very good. I felt completely safe. The guides were excellent.

Transport

Some of our transports were very long, but it was the only way to get to different locations. I did not like the water landings.

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Just do it. I’m afraid of heights, but psyched myself to focus and keep moving. The bridges did sway while walking on them, but I felt safe. It is a lot of up and downhill , if that is a problem for you. I really felt like I had met my goal by completing the walk.

Quality of Experience

Our guide would stop and show us hidden wildlife through his scope and helped you get good photos.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything

Transport

Good drivers

Arenal Volcano Hiking Tour & Paradise Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

It began to rain as we started, so we chose the shortest of 3 hikes. Fortunately, the rain stopped shortly after we started. We saw cows and lots of birds and monkeys. There is a nice little bar at the top where you can stop, rest and rehydrate if needed before finishing the hike.

Quality of Experience

The hot springs were much needed after hiking. There was a bar there if you wanted to buy a drink. The locker rooms were small, not much room to change in and out of bathing suit. I found the handicapped bathroom stall to be more spacious and private and had hooks to hold your clothes.

Food

The food at Paradise Hot Springs was fair

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide and driver

Transport

You drive a while up and down winding roads to get there

We had an absolutely amazing time. Chile and Argentina were lovely places to visit and all the hard work from KimKim and Dittmar did not go unnoticed. It was truly a once in a lifetime trip and we are glad we did it. There were a few hiccups and those were annoying but that kind of thing happens.

The structure of this tour was set-up to maximize the places we were able to visit and that was wonderful. For our part, we had hoped for more hiking and less time traveling between destinations. By the end, it seemed to us that this was a tour for a crowd that was slightly older than us-the majority of our fellow travelers were 55+ (we are 36 and 40). Still, I don't know if there is really another way to see everything we saw in the time we had without all the traveling.

Our favorite activities included: Estancia La Peninsula in Puerto Natales, the Penguins of Isla Magdalena in Punta Arenas, and our hike in Torres del Paine.

Excellent Trip! Only wish we had more time :)

Hotel Reviews

Francis Residence

Mr. Francis and Ruby were very kind and thougtful. Clean rooms, good care, excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel PepperVine

Thekkady, Kumily, Kerala

The sheets, curtains, shower curtain were initially moldy/dirty. We requested a clean change and they did this very quickly. However, the walls still had black mold and the sheets were wet with humidity. The service and food were good but I would likely not recommend for the cleanliness factor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Humidity control. Better cleaning.

Marari Beach Resort - CGH

Very cool resort, right on the beach! Excellent, food, pool, activities, etc. Great place to wind down after a week of activities. Really greatful to the staff and resort for their hospitality.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fragrant Nature Munnar

Munnar

Cannot beat the views! Very clean and comfortable. Munnar was the highlight of the trip because we had this hotel to relax in after a day of intensive hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cochin Sightseeing

Cochin

Sebastian, our guide, was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Hike to Sevenmalai Hills - Tea Museum Tour

Munnar

Great experience hiking in and around the seven hills. A real highlight of the trip. We had a bit of a rock scramble and would recommend proper shoes for this and Periyar. We're not athletes by any means and made the treck just fine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spice Plantation Walk in Periyar

India

Enjoyed this experience, wish I had brought proper hiking shoes for the mud. If I were to go again I would do both the Periyar hike + the raft ride. It was a bit far to travel (8 hrs) for the "plantation" tour (1 hr) and park walk (2 hr). Learned lots about spices and plants! Super fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jungle Walk in Periyar National Park

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marari - Alleppey: Day Cruise aboard Houseboat

Marari

Did not do this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day at Marari Beach

Marari

Could not say enough about how cool this resort is!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marari - Cochin - Delhi (AI834 - 20:30 hrs)

Cochin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 17 night trip to Australia went very smoothly. We stayed in Sydney, Port Douglas, Adelaide, and stayed two nights while doing the drive of the Great Ocean Road. Then we spent four nights in Melbourne. Our travel specialist Liz put together a great itinerary that went very smoothly. We liked our hotels and we had no problems with our internal flights.

In Sydney we stayed at The Grace hotel which was excellent. It’s central location allowed us to walk to a lot of the attractions we wanted to see. The staff was also very helpful and the room was fine. On our free day we took a ferry to Manly Beach. We caught the bus from there to the Spit bridge and then hiked the 10 km trail back to Manly beach that went along the water. It had spectacular views. That was one of the highlights of our time in Sydney.

Highlights included snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, Kangaroo Island (our guide Jo was excellent), and Phillip Island. It was topped off with a sunrise balloon ride over Melbourne which we highly recommend. I would also recommend seeing the Great Ocean Rd if you can. We stayed two nights between Adelaide and Melbourne. I think a third night would be good if you have the time.

From start to finish, we had a great experience working with the Original Travels/Kimkim team. Ali and Said were incredibly helpful in advising us before the trip, from helping us plan a fun itinerary to answering our questions about what to pack. Our driver, Faisal, took great care of us throughout and made travel feel seamless. Even when we had to change our itinerary at the last minute due to weather concerns, Said and Faisal adapted quickly to figure out the best solution and put our safety first. It was wonderful to connect with local guides throughout our journey--we learned so much about Moroccan history and culture, and were touched by the kindness of everyone we met. Our favorite part of the trip was the day we spent exploring the Fes medina - we loved wandering the souks, visiting artisan workshops, and cooking a Moroccan meal. The riads we stayed in were beautiful and were also a huge highlight!

Hotel Reviews

Riad Ghita

Fes

This riad was so beautiful! It was in a great location and our room was gorgeous. Food was some of the best we ate in Fes!

Authenticity & Character

We loved learning the history of the building, which had been a family home since the 16th century.

Location

Staff

Everyone was so kind and helpful. We had so much fun doing a cooking class and helping make a meal!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Casa Hassan

Chefchaoeun

This riad was so cozy and beautifully decorated. It was in a great location for exploring Chefchaouen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cooking Class in Fes

Fes

It was so much fun for us to get to know Fes a little better by not just going shopping at the market and helping prepare a meal, but also spending time with locals and learning more about their lives. The morning we spent together was an experience I'll never forget, and the meal was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam & Spa experience in Fez

Fes

The hammam was unlike anything I've ever experienced. The setting was beautiful for experiencing this traditional practice. Afterward we felt completely rejuvenated!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was really well prepared in my opinion. Think the offer of hotels should not be made based on a global budget announced my the client … the offer should include always hotels with more stars. Almost always with a small increase of price the client can obtain a better hotel.. If I say 4 stars you should include also some with 5 stars… and the client decide.

I really liked the proposed tours and the guides were really competente… Emma in Hoi An, the one in Min Bei (south Hanoi) were for me the best ones. I liked too the one in Bangkok.

I really recommend Realistic Tours and Ashley as trip manager

Hotel Reviews

Patong Lodge Hotel (โรงแรม ป่าตอง ลอดจ์)

Don’t recommend for clients that are able to pay 5 stars hotel even in a 4 stars budget for the overall trip

Authenticity & Character

Massive tourism without quality offer

Location

Close to the beach

Staff

They treat me perfectly and professionally when I asked to check out 30 min after my check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could be really better

Dal Vostro Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

I liked … and I will come again there when in Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Staff really authentic

Location

Perfect location in the old town

Staff

Always available…

Cleanliness & Comfort

All ok

Le Journey Halong Cruise

Nice boat… nice ambiance with the staff… quality of the boat could be better.

Authenticity & Character

Good

Location

Good

Staff

Nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cherish Hotel

Nice overall impression

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location …

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoi An Rose Garden Hotel

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adora Art Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HARI Residence & Spa

Svay Dangkum Commune, Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

LCS Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

True Siam Rangnam Hotel

Phayathai, Rajthevee, Province

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi City tour - Joint in tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Hoa Lu & Tam Coc - Joint in tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Le Journey Cruise (N)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Le Journey Cruise – Hanoi (N)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue Sightseeing Full Day - Join in tour

Hue

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Walking Tour

Hoi An

Fantastic

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Emma knowledge fantastic

Transport

Ba Na Hills & Golden Hand Bridge Day Trip - Joint in tour

Cambodia

Only the bridge deserves the trip in my opinion

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh city tour - Cu Chi tunnels - Joint in tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap – Angkor Wat

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phnom Penh sightseeings

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damnern Saduak Floating Market Tour Grand Palace and Wat Po

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Ayutthaya temples and a boat trip to Bang-Pa-In

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Chiang Mai Street food tour by Tuk Tuk (N)

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai City Safari - Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Tao Garden Health Spa

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Swimming & Snorkeling on the Phi Phi Islands (Join speedboat)

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Phang Nga Bay (Join big boat)

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phuket Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self - Guided Day in Phuket

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip
Seeking adventure with a short time frame of a week Jordan fits the bill
Samir does a wonderful job organizing it based on how much adventure you want.
Insist on Mr Walid as your driver low key no hassle but will definitely show you a part of Jordan that you want to see as a traveler
Great Trip

Hotel Reviews

Dana Guest House

Al Tafileh, Dana

Rustic bit delivers on basic comft

Authenticity & Character

As Local as it gets

Location

Great view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luxury Rum Magic Camp

Great Desert experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petra Moon Hotel

Wadi Musa

Average rooms are small

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike in Dana Nature reserve ( White Dome Trail)

Jordan

Rum Valley CAMELS SUNSET RIDE FOR 01HRS

Wadi Rum

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

Petra

Go it alone a guide is not required Overall great and entertaining experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike in Dana Nature Reserve ( Nawatef Trail)

Dana

Hike in Dana Nature Reserve (Shaq al Reesh Trail)

Dana

Feynan (Sunrise hike )

Jordan

Shoback Castle

Jordan

Feynan (The Bedouin experience )

Jordan

Trekking from Dana to Feynan lodge

Jordan

Start early a bit of a slog Great guide and desert hike

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My sons and I had a fabulous time in Guatemala! Chris was very responsive, flexible, and patient during the planning phases of the trip. In addition, he was able to tweak our plans slightly while we were traveling so that everything was perfectly tailored to our needs. I greatly appreciated his knowledge and expertise. Our local guide, Esmerelda, was also a tremendous asset to our trip.
Thank you for a very memorable and smooth trip!

We had such a great experience with KimKim! The local guide and driver they connected us with were amazing. We felt like family at the end of the trip! In the time leading up to the trip, I worked closely with Tatiana to get our itInerary perfect and she was very receptive to listening to what we wanted to do and making all of the changes. We had to leave Ecuador unexpectedly due to political unrest and our amazing guide and driver got us out safely and we were so grateful to have them!

Anne, and the Peruvian Soul team organised my first solo South American trip at very short notice, with impressive attention to detail, coordination and planning. I was equipped with the right information prior to the trip, communication with the team was excellent throughout and the trip was speculator. The guides were welcoming and knowledgeable, especially Julito. I will cherish the memories for a long time to come.

This is a joint review from Tim and Mary.

This was our first time using KimKim for travel planning service and we were pleased with the ease of planning and collaboration with Natalia Canonico and the Buenos Aires-based agency Designer Trips Argentina. We worked together over several weeks and chat correspondence to develop a plan that suited our interests, time-frame and budget. Natalia was very open to our requests and questions, while also providing valuable insights on the elements of the trip.

First, our in-country travel services were excellent and we especially appreciated Sophie from Turismo Milodon reaching out to us while we were on the Chilean side of Patagonia.

We were equally thankful that Natalia continued to check in with us while we were in Argentina. She was especially helpful when Mary suffered the blow to her head in BA.

We were also completely satisfied with the drivers, all of whom were friendly and reliable.

Our experience at Hotel NOI Blend Colchagua was very nice and had a very friendly staff, particularly Esteban. We appreciated the rooms, the restaurant and the setting.

We loved Hotel Las Torres in Patagonia-Torres Del Paine National Park . The staff was very friendly and attentive and we appreciated the number of choices for day excursions as well as the quality of the meals. Three of our guides there stood out for their enthusiasm, knowledge and friendliness: Daniel, Valentina and Sebastian. Each of them were thoughtful and open to the sort of wide-ranging conversations that can occur on long hikes. They made our time with them especially enjoyable and memorable. We also liked the bar as a place to gather after our hikes.

Our favorite hotel was EOLO just outside of El Calafate. The staff there was notably well-trained, the food and wine were exemplary, and the vibe was especially relaxed. We found Lucy, our guide on a two or so hour horseback ride from the hotel, to be especially charming.

The Perito Moreno mini-trekking excursion and viewing of the glacier from the National Park was another highlight of the trip, and we were well-attended to by the driver and private guide.

Hostería El Puma in El Chalten was nice, but the highlight there was our day-long hike up to Laguna de los Tres with Nicolas, who, like Daniel, Valentina and Sebastian in Chile, shared his knowledge of the flora, fauna and mountain enthusiastically and was genuinely gracious. He also set the pace to match our capacity.

The El Casco Art Hotel in Bariloche was our second favorite hotel, to EOLO. Both were wonderfully designed and were very comfortable. The highlight of Bariloche was the Isla Victoria Trek and lunch, guided by Carolina. Carolina was charming, informed and we loved our conversations with her as we hiked around the Isla. But the most enchanting part of the day was the lunch prepared for us by Gustavo on the Piedras Blancas Beach. The view, the food and the weather made for a cinematic experience we’ll always remember.

Our hotel in BA, the Mine, was nice, albeit with small rooms common in large cities. We enjoyed strolling the streets of Palermo neighborhood, and had a delicious steak dinner at Lo de Jesus. The Mine Hotel staff, especially Claudio, were very helpful when Mary suffered her accident.

Overall, we were overjoyed with the trip and appreciate Kim-Kim and the agencies, guides, drivers and hotels assembled for us.

One final comment about Kim-Kim’s approach. We found it less than transparent as to pricing for components of the trip, which we find contrary to its fundamental attraction (on-line, message-based communications and service). You might consider our view as the ‘Uber-ization’ of services suggests that competitors of Kim-Kim that are more transparent as to pricing may garner more customers.

Best wishes,

Tim and Mary

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine Experience

Torres del Paine

Minitrek Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Trek to Laguna de los Tres

El Chaltén

Victoria Island Navigation & Trek

Bariloche

Duncan was a dream to work with. Our trip was meticulously planned and laid out for us. All we had to do was follow it. We appreciated Duncan checking in during the trip to ensure things were going well. When we requested to change a planned event, he was quick to cancel for us. We would definitely work with Dunan and KimKim again!

This was our first time doing a vacation through a travel agency, and KimKim made it very easy to get in touch with a local agency specializing in Thailand trips, and the agent they connected us with was incredibly responsive! The only issues we had during planning were with the platform -- we encountered some trouble uploading and updating our passport information (my wife's last name was recently changed), which caused some confusion during the booking process and resulted in us needing to buy a new ticket in her new name right before one of our in-country flights. It would've also been nice to have an app version of the portal to make it easier to look at and respond to things on our phones.

Our trip itself was fantastic. Honestly a 9/10 and one of the most memorable experiences we have ever done! Thailand is an amazingly exotic place with incredible food, architecture, and friendly people. Bruce's itinerary made it so at the end of the trip, we felt like we truly got to experience all aspects of the country. The only change I would have made was to add a full free day to our stay in Bangkok and Chang Mai. There is so much to do in both places, it almost felt like we just got a slice of what they had to offer, even though our schedules were full of sight seeing and other activities! Some of the highlights of our activities were the bicycle tour in Chang Mai, walking around Ayutthaya, seeing the many beautiful temples (everywhere), the imperial palace in Bangkok, the two restaurants we went to in Bangkok (rooftop bar with view of the city skyline and river and one local place that had some of the best authentic Thai food we've ever eaten), cooking with a local family in Chang Mai, and snorkeling off Monkey Island in Phuket.

A few experiences did feel a bit "touristy," although we enjoyed them nonetheless. For example, zip-lining wasn't actually in our itinerary, and exists in other places we've been. The 3-hr round trip drive to get to the mountain took up a lot of that day.

Having personal guides and drivers in each location was absolutely crucial. We didn't have to worry at all about transportation and there wasn't much "down time" waiting to be picked up. For some activities farther from the city center (Ayutthaya, elephant care center, zip-lining), I'm really not sure how we would've gotten back to the hotel if we were relying on taxis!

Our guides were very efficient, friendly, and spoke almost fluent English. They were very responsive to questions and changes in schedules, so we always knew when to be were. Mike (our Bangkok guide) was fantastic. Great sense of humor, really knew the history of the city, and took us to some attractions and AMAZING restaurants off the beaten path that were some of the highlights of our entire trip. Ming (our guide in Chang Mai) was super friendly, and we appreciated her taking pictures of us during some of our activities so we could simply enjoy being in the moment and not feel like we were missing out documenting our experience to look back fondly on later.

All of the hotels we stayed at were fantastic. As cost of high-end of hotels in Thailand are relatively affordable for the outside traveler, I encourage everyone to splurge and enjoy the great food, service, and atmosphere that come with them. (Granted, you will pay higher prices for food, drink, and spa services at them!).

In conclusion, even though we might have changed a few things in retrospect, we are overall very happy and satisfied with our trip and would like to thank everyone involved.

Hotel Reviews

Lancaster Bangkok Hotel

Bankok

Fantastic hotel with a great included breakfast and accommodations. Staff was friendly and helpful. The only downside to this hotel is most things are not within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort

Chiang Mai

Very calm atmosphere - perfect "river spa" feel. Great included breakfast, and fantastic (if pricey) spa experiences. A little far from the city center, but close enough that they are a very cheap taxi ride away.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

COMO Point Yamu

One of the most unique hotels I've stayed at in my life. Fantastic character, stunning views. Very much worth splurging on a room with a personal pool. Every morning and night we would just stare out at our surroundings and marvel that we were there. The Thai restaurant inside the hotel is only open a few days per week, but was one of the culinary highlights of our trip. Mouth-watering dishes for a reasonable price. Service could be a little slow at times, but everything else more than made up for it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Night Food tour with Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Bangkok City Tour With Grand Palace and Long-Tail Boat Ride

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Historical Ayutthaya Tour from Bangkok

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Fun Cooking Experience With a Local Lanna Family

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Explore Doi Inthanon National Park Tour

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Elephants Day Care at Baan Chang Elephant Park

Chiang Mai

It was amazing to see elephants up close and to touch them! It became clear the elephants were very well cared for, but at first we were a bit nervous because the elephant camp we went to was a different one than was in our itinerary and the facilities were all very VERY new, so it seemed like this camp was recently built (keeping in mind that exploitation of these gentle giants is still alive and well). The English language staff member named Ice was very friendly and supplied us with many interesting elephant facts. Some other staff members felt a bit pushy when it came to engaging with the elephants -- i.e., do this pose for the photos now. Lunch was an interesting affair, as some of the staff didn't seem to know how to cook the dishes properly as they were guiding us through the recipes. Overall a good and memorable experience, but I think this camp needs to polish up some of the rough edges.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Chiang Mai Countryside Exploration by Bicycle (Join-in)

Chiang Mai

Our guide for this tour was one of our favorite locals we met on our trip. Super friendly and genuine, didn't rush us anywhere, and seemed so easygoing. He showed us some amazing local spots that we would've never seen otherwise! Was great to get a feel for the local area and how Thai people live. We regret not getting a photo with him!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi Island

Phuket

It was magical to see all the incredible islands up close and for the most part, snorkeling and swimming were fantastic. Quite an experience to swim in a cove surrounded by massive jungle rock walls. The boat staff were fun, and we appreciated the big cooler full of free drinks to keep us hydrated! Monkey island was kind of a disappointment, although the snorkeling around it was amazing. Very crowded and we only saw one monkey "in the wild." There were more on the edge of the beach, but they were all in cages, apparently because they were sick? It wasn't clear. The food was okay, as it was a buffet of spaghetti, chicken wings, and watermelon that hundreds of people were eating. I would've preferred to pay extra to go to a local restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed our trip of a lifetime thanks to the help of Christina. She listened and planned a trip that was perfect for our preferences and also the pace of travel. Our bike trips were fabulous...although now we are hooked on pedal assisted e-bikes! The Dunston Bike Trail is amazing. The helicopter landing on Franz Josef as well was over the top! We couldn't have asked for a better trip.

Activity Reviews

The Big Day Out

Hokitika

It's a hard ride...not for the faint of heart. Be sure to bring your own food and water...there's nothing on the trail. But a beautiful way to see the landscape!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good stories

Transport

It's a van

Glacier Explorers - Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

Amazing experience...don't miss it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tekapo to Twizel with Cycle Journeys

New Zealand

Loved their bikes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound Full-Day Adventure

Queenstown (NZ)

Weather did not cooperate so we had to shuttle back rather than fly. Made for an extra long day that we would have preferred to not have.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wanaka Bike Tours - Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail

New Zealand

Amazing path. Use an ebike for this one...worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Twin Glacier 30-Minute Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing

New Zealand

We stayed to attempt the landing after a bad weather day...totally worth it. Hang out til the weather changes if you can!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kimkim did it again, putting together the perfect itinerary for us during a 5-day visit to Cambodia. We especially appreciated our guide, Hout Bunhak, who made the trip extra special and made us feel like family. The travel partner, Travel Asia a la cart was excellent! Our hotel was perfect for our preferences. We hope to return to Cambodia in the future and will certainly utilize kimkim to arrange our next Cambodian adventure!

Hotel Review

The Aviary Hotel

Siem Reap

Great service, perfect location, walkable to many spots in town, nice roof pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day cookery class

Siem Reap

This was one of many highlights on our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling the back roads of Angkor (full day)

Siem Reap

This was a great trip and was a nice way to see the temple area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Siem Reap

We really enjoyed this visit. The art program involved is quite unique and we would like to spend more time exploring other activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

So sorry to advise - my trip had to be postponed until late Spring 2023.

Please do not hesitate to contact me then for a review.

Kindest regards for Christmas and the New Year. Carl

Our time in Costa Rica was phenomenal. All of it was facilitated directly by KimKim and its outstanding specialist, Jessica. Each event we partook in was exactly as described, from the excitement of the hanging bridges tour’s animal sightings to the beauty of the sunset cruise along Lake Arenal. My fiancée and I felt so encouraged by the passion all of our tour guides showed for Costa Rica and specifically La Fortuna. Jacamar Tours ensured that we received the best service possible throughout our treks through the rainforest to Arenal Waterfall and the hike around Arenal Volcano.

One tour guide in particular, Victor, who guided us through the Night Walk, provided us with an unforgettable experience. He knew every route perfectly and tailored the walk toward the animals we wanted to see most. We got closer views of sloths and even a caiman than I ever imagined we would. He was also so remarkably knowledgeable and kind, something we found with each of the guides KimKim recommended.

Activity Reviews

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Tabacon Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise with Wine & Cheese on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Arenal Lake cruise was one of the most special events we experienced in Costa Rica. The scenery was beautiful and the view of the volcano was breathtaking. Our guides were so knowledgeable and friendly

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

The safari float was an unfortunately underwhelming experience because it was entirely dependent on wildlife appearing, which didn’t happen much for us. There isn’t as much vegetation or scenery. We did glimpse some howler monkeys that made for some excitement though!

Meree was absolutely incredible and helped us out while we were traveling. Will definitely recommend KimKim to others and specifically to our friends wishing to travel to Norway.