Kimkim Trip Reviews

This trip, thanks to the planning and recommendations from our KimKim coordinator David, exceeded all expectations. I traveled with close friends to several cities in Colombia. Though we have all traveled together before, we weren't as familiar with the highlights in the country and were grateful for a (few) draft itinerary from David, who helped us plan the trip of our dreams. Every activity and guide were incredible, with unexpected additions. For example, we signed up for a rum tour in Cartagena, and received a personalized experience with a wonderful guide Cami, who was an expert in rum, and the extra perk that it included chocolate pairings, with chocolate made in house. Other wonderful guides included Sarah, who showed us around the central market in Bogota and shared the bountiful fruits of Colombia with us; Jorge, who spent much of Cartagena with us, going above and beyond to help us understand the vibrant city on foot and by bike; and Gloria, who demonstrated our cooking class and gave us the best meal of the whole trip. We left with a rich knowledge of the country and a thirst to learn more about the history and the language. We will absolutely be recommending KimKim to friends and family!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Islabela

Such a great experience and way to see the Rosario Islands. Staff was very kind and attentive. On site animals entertained us, including island dogs, cats, and chickens. All of the outings were worth the added expenses.

Authenticity & Character

Wish I could give more than 5 stars for character!

Location

Staff

Thank you to David and Chris for all of your help and for welcoming us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was hard getting used to the lack of AC in the bungalows but the fans helped alot. The outdoor showers were so beautiful and the staff worked hard to keep the common areas (beachside and dining area) clean.

Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia

Cartagena de Indias

This beautiful hotel was perfect for our multi-night stay in Cartagena. We visited the pool everyday, to escape the heat, and the rooftop everynight, to unwind before bed and recount our packed days of exploring. The complimentary breakfast always provided hot coffee and the fuel we needed for our travel.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful floorplan overlooking the pool

Location

Nearby the night life of Cartagena with a great view of the streets and cathedrals from the roof

Staff

Lovely staff who helped give us dinner recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

The AC broke in both rooms we had but the staff was quick to fix it. A broken window also caused us some discomfort, as a mosquito gave us a visit in our room one night.

Activity Reviews

Market Visit & Cooking Class

Cartagena

This was such an incredible experience! It was great to pick out our ingredients and learn how to make some classic Colombia staples (patacones, ceviche, coconut rice, juice). Gloria was an amazing chef and teacher

Quality of Experience

Food

Best of the trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate & Rum Tasting

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fruits of Colombia Food Tour + Gourmet Coffee Tasting

Bogotá

Our guide Sarah made this one of the most special tours we went on! The fruits were all so fresh and we carried her wise words home with us. We also loved the coffee tasting, we learned so much from the lovely staff at the cafe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lodging: I very much enjoyed our lodging choices. The staff were kind and helpful. I loved the historical bed and breakfast properties. My favorites were Clonmore House in Doolin and Georgian House in London.
Steven was awesome! He really went the extra mile to help me put together a trip of a lifetime, including my 7 year old grandson. There were multiple moving parts and they moved around a lot, even during the trip. There were so many changes, additions and deletions, and other changes, and he met them with grace. I really appreciated his efforts.
The biggest negative was the Big Bus. It was very time consuming. The routes were not conducive for someone who has limited time. It would be much easier to just use Uber. (I found their service quick and reliable.)
Our guide, Roury, on our 4WD trip to Cairngorms Nat’l park was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and shared so many interesting stuff about the park.

My trip to Morocco was a unique experience; so rich in ancient history and culture that unfolded with our tour guide Yassin. He picked us up at the airport sharing with us the history and culture as we traveled for the next 10 days.
I was overwhelmed with the labyrinth of walkways, the smells of delicious food, tea, and the aromas of incense.
In some cities we had other guides; Said (Sayeed) very informative to history of the palace and guided us through a labyrinth of alley ways that sold at the pottery factory and explained each step of the creations. Just superb! At the archaeological site of Volubils, our guide Abdoul shared with us the interesting insight into the spread of the Roman Empire. Then my dream of dreams was riding a camel in the Sahara Desert experiencing a beautiful sunset. After a lovely dinner, we visited the next tent site for music and dancing.
Marrakech was amazing with a labyrinth alley ways winding with beautiful merchandise. Karim was another amazing guide and they all looked out for our interests and safety!

Hotel Reviews

Palais Tara & Spa

Marrakech

A luxury experience, Moorish architecture. intricately carved wood and complex tilework and handmade tapestries

Authenticity & Character

The Hotel was a palace to the famous Moroccan Minister Mohammed Akensus. It is stellar with Moorish architecture, handmade tapestries. Pure elegance

Location

The Palace is situated right in the center of the Medina.

Staff

The Front Office Manager was warm, friendly and welcoming with all of our needs and concerns

Cleanliness & Comfort

our rooms were stellar with rose petals leading to the bathroom. lovely touch. Heavenly soaps/shampoos

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

A lovely hotel, hospitable staff, warm & friendly. Room was great and the view from the pool was Fabulous!

Authenticity & Character

Its ideal to exploring the local area in a peaceful isolation setting.

Location

A panoramic view from the roof top overlooking the river valley and mountains

Staff

Warm and welcoming, attentive to your every needs

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room had crisp linen and clean. Staff was always attentive

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

I am not use to glamping! This was the perfect elegance in the desert! Pure tranquility.

Authenticity & Character

Uniquely quiet, a feeling of safe and peacefulness. unlike any other adventure

Location

This is paradise! In the middle of the Dunes, open, quiet, the colors of the sky changing as the sun set and upon arising in the morning. Peaceful; a oneness so to say.

Staff

Personal attention , accommodating, friendly and humble

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect like a hotel, clean, neat simple.

Riad Farouzi

fes

Exquisite! Simplistic beauty. tiled from floor to ceiling and Moorish Islamic architecture of doors.Clean and beds are comfortable. In the morning, breakfast awaited us with an array of items. The staff was above and beyond every opportunity. Hot tea was always a welcoming when we returned from our day in the Medina.

Authenticity & Character

Not only were the accommodations exceptional, it's enchanting, quiet and peaceful

Location

Beautiful panoramic view of the old city. A short walk to the Medina

Staff

it is the staff that made it special; always there like family. Welcoming and attentive. Above and beyond

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were comfortable and tidy as was the bathroom. Simple elegance

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Love this Riad was in the midst of Chefchaquen. Charming! Staff was friendly and accommodating. Lots of stairs, Breakfast and dinner were delicious. A little noisy if your room is over the courtyard. The view was wonderful, the group in the courtyard were celebrating a birthday until about 10:30pm. Otherwise, Just lovely!!

Authenticity & Character

Full of color, warmth and overflowing with a blue beauty built on the side of the hill

Location

It is located in the main square of the Medina, Romantic view

Staff

Reception at check-in kind, friendly and courteous. Very attentive especially in the dining area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and accommodating, Staff very attentive

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Charming, loved my stay. A lovely breakfast array of foods - delicious as well as the inner menu. Staff were attentive and professional.

Authenticity & Character

Charm of location and staff were warm, friendly and accommodating

Location

It was in the heart of the Medina

Staff

All the staff were at attention for everything, the willingness of staff to attend to every need.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing was wrong with our room

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

The highlight!! It’s what movies are made about. A real dream come true

Quality of Experience

Our guide Hicham

Guides, Drivers and Staff

You cannot escape the true humbleness of the people

Transport

Yassim!!

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

De ended the High Atlas Mountains tight winding road that offered a beautiful panoramic view of the valley

Quality of Experience

Our guide, Yassim

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide, Yassim

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

The high Atlas Mountains overlooking the valley of the Dades, breathtaking Views of mad ash. A movie studio is here that filmed Game of thrones, Gladiator. And lots of others. Visited the Kasbah - high winds

Quality of Experience

Getting to explore the kasbah

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very kind and humble

Transport

Yassim made all the difference in the world!!

Fes to Merzouga via Ifraine and Azrou - Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Morocco

A camel ride into the dunes for a night’s stay!! Beautiful sunrise and multiple colors of sunset The middle Atlas Mountains was a retreat. We passed through forests with monkeys populated with Berber tribes. We visited Cascades D’ouzoud a beautiful falls cascading down to the village of Azrou. There is fishing, camping and swimming , good restaurant and shopping; lots of geology; geodes, fossils .

Quality of Experience

A much diverse Forrest and the quietness of nature

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always ready to please , very kind

Transport

Our Guide Yassim!!

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Fes was the best Midievil Medina with narrow alley ways opening up to marketplaces with motorists and donkey carts also making their way too. I visited the tannery; superb leather goods, ceramics, anything you could imagine was there. At the ceramic tile factory you can have made to order items to ship to your home

Quality of Experience

The tannery and tile co-op factory

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The willingness to please; merchants are respectful

Transport

Great guide Sayeed.

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

On the way to Fes, we stopped to visit an ancient kingdom of Volubilis and how the cultures here at the time formed Morocco! There are the ruins from the ancient Romans and the other city of Meknes that flourished

Quality of Experience

How Meknes rose to be an imperial city and is still thriving today

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always humble and welcoming

Transport

Our guide Yassim is the best! So much knowledge and conversation

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

After we checked in to our hotel, we set out exploring on the cobble stone walkways that wind around and up and down narrow walkways of a sky blue. Just so uplifting with open shopping for anything that dazzles the eye! But you must learn to bargain. And take a short hike to the Spanish mosque. Once up there you will see how this lovely blue city sits between two mountains . I suggest Dawn for sunrise

Quality of Experience

Have either a MC/visa for ATM. .I found the merchants take credit cards. Break down your converted money which are derum to change for bargening

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Humbleness of culture, warm & welcoming

Transport

Our guide, Yassim is the best. Caring and concerned always looking out for us. Follow rules & regulations

Rabat to Chefchaouen

Morocco

In Rabat, we visited the mausoleum of Mahammed V, ; beautiful columns of marble, embellished fountains with tile work, horsemen on their mounts at the entry gates and beautiful engraved copper candelabras at the entrance. another great tour was of the Oudaia Kasbah, a hilltop fortress built in the 17th-18 century. Our drive to Chefchaouen was 4 hours of conversation of culture, learning words and phrases, customs with our guide Yassim. The blue city was an eye catcher built between two mountains. The walkways are all paved with stones, lots of shopping and cafe's. This is where I learned to bargan, an art in itself. I wanted to catch sunrise and hiked 20 minutes up to the Spanish Mosque. A spectacular view of Chefchaquen below.

Quality of Experience

you will enjoy the spirit of the city, good food and beautiful humble residents

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The culture is humbling, warm and friendly. welcoming

Transport

Yassim is a fabulous driver careful and concerned. Knows where every dip in the road is

Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Morocco

In Casablanca, The Hassan 11 Mosque was extraordinary. It is acceptable for a non-Muslim to enter so we did and the architecture is amazing: authentic Moroccan architecture, hand carved marble walls, fountains.. We learned the importance and value of this Mosque. We then came to infamous Ricks Café which was actually built in 2004 based off the movie by Humphrey Bogart. It was closed this time of day so I will have to come back. We had a lovely lunch close to the water, searched for exchange places then off to Rabat.

My wife and I had a wonderful trip! There's always trepidation placing an experience (and investment!) like this in the hands of a company you've never heard of nor dealt with. I can't say enough good things about how smoothly everything went. From the taxi drivers to-and-from the train station to the staff at our amazing hotel (couldn't have asked for better accommodations with proximity to everything we wanted in Amboise) to our skilled and fun tour guides, Alex (who we were lucky enough to have for two straight days) and Cecelia (for our all-day private tour) to Justine, our local specialist, who promptly replied to our every concern or question leading up to the trip, everything was better than we could have hoped for. It was an impressively organized effort. Thanks to everyone involved! We wouldn't hesitate to book with Kimkim again.

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Clos d'Amboise

Amboise

Charming chateau with amazing staff, highly rated restaurant and location, location, location. Wouldn't think of staying anywhere else in Amboise.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private guided tour to Chaumont-sur-Loire & Blois

Amboise

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cecelia was a perfect private guide. Thoroughly knowledgeable and fun! It was a pleasure to spend the whole day with her.

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was everything you'd want in a guide: youthful energy, knowledge and loads of fun!

Villandry, Azay-Le-Rideau & Vouvray wine tour - Full Day

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was everything you'd want in a guide: youthful energy, knowledge and loads of fun!

Transport

I have been wanting to go to Egypt for years, as it had been on my bucket list for some time. The planning process with Ibrahim seemed to be fine. However, there were a lot of bumps upon arrival. First, we got into Cairo, and went to the St. Regis, which was great. The first night, we were scheduled to go on a Nile cruise for dinner. When we got to the cruise, it was absolutely disgusting, and we ended up not staying. When we talked to out guide the next day about it, he was shocked the tour company sent us to that cruise, agreeing with us that it was filthy and well below average standards (and he recommended we try the nice cruise). The next day, we were surprised that the tour was much shorter than expected and did not include the Egyptian Museum. I would have expected any tour to include the museum, and that a tour operator would know that the museum should not be missed. So, we had to pay extra not only for the museum, but also the guide's time. And, really that became the mantra for the trip - the tours were less than half the day and we ended up paying for a lot of extras that should have been included. When we went to Luxor, only the Valley of the Kings was included, not the Valley of the Queens. So, not only did we pay extra for the entrance fee (which was fine), the tour company wanted an extra $90 USD for the car to take us there (which was literally less than a ten minute drive) and for the guide's time (which we were already paying for, as we had the guide for the day and when the tours we were scheduled to go on were over before 11am). This was disappointing to say the least. I would expect that a tour company should know the things to see and approx. time to take on these tours, and if the tours were only going to be part of the day, I would think that the tour company would tell us ahead of time and recommend other things to do. Further, when we paid for a private tour guide and car, we expected to have use of that car and/or guide not just for a few hours in the morning. And, when we asked to go to a dinner about 10 min drive from the hotel, we were told it was not included, and they asked for $15 USD. Not a big deal, but when you already paid for a private car/driver, it seems odd to charge extra for this. And one of our guides did not speak very good English (almost none), which was quite disappointing. And, even things like breakfast that were supposed to be included, ended up not being included on two of the days.

This is in contrast to last year, when we went to Jordan with the same set up - a private car and tour guide - using this company. Our tour guide was amazing, and the car was always available to take us to lunch, dinner, extra things (minus costs of the entrance fees). Sadly, we did not get the same experience.

One of our guides, Ahmed, was awesome. He was with us for Aswan and Luxor. He was super knowledgeable, passionate and just all around great. He really made the trip amazing. When we had extra time, he helped us find good places for souvenirs, took us off the beaten path to find great dining spots and would take us to interesting places (like a local nubian coffee place) and just talk to us about the culture and his country. We couldn't have asked for a better guide, and I only wished he had been our guide the entire time.

While our trip to Egypt was memorable because it was Egypt, looking back, I would not have used this tour company for this trip. We paid a lot of money to have a private car/driver, and we were disappointed not only that our tours ended up being super short, but that we had to pay extra for things that should have been included (or that the tour company should have asked to be included).

Activity Reviews

Pyramids, Sphinx , Salah El Deen Citadel and Old Cairo

Cairo

This tour is a must for anyone going to Egypt. However, we (and our guide) was surprised that the tour did not include the Egyptian Museum, given that the tour (as scheduled) was over before 1pm. We added the museum, which is a must see, but were charged a lot to include it (on top of the entrance fees).

Dinner Cruise

Cairo

We ended up not staying for the cruise. The ship was gross, and we were not going to take the chance of eating and getting sick. We were told there are much better/nicer cruises, but this was not it.

Quality of Experience

Our travel planner Lise was amazing. She was easy to work with, made great suggestions and accommodated our unique needs. We had private transfers to and from the airport and train station and that was really a life saver. Our drivers were in communication with us and easy to find even during busy rush hour traffic. Our first tour in the Loire Valley was with Nicholas. He took us to Chenonceau, Chambord and a small privately owned Chateau for lunch. Nicholas was very knowledgeable about the history of both castles as well as the "drama" behind the lives of the kings and queens who lived there. He made it very interesting for us and gave us plenty of time to explore the beautiful gardens on our own.
Our next tour was supposed to be of Castle Bois and The House of Magic. We were disappointed to learn that the House of Magic was closed the day we went and had been closed for several weeks. That was one of the things my son was most excited about seeing. However, our guide for the day, Cecilia was able to shift quickly. We instead went to a local family winery for a wine tasting and then she took us to the last home of Leonardo da Vinci where we were able to see his inventions displayed throughout his garden. We then headed to Paris and had a nighttime summit tour of the Eiffel Tour. Our guide was Lekshme and she was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The next day we did a private walking tour of Medieval Paris with Victor. He picked us up at our hotel, showed us how easy it was to ride the Metro (which we did consistently after that point and even saw Lekshme on the metro--she said hello and gave us directions) and gave us a great tour. Notre Dame, Sainte Chappelle and so much more including modern churches, a stroll through St. Germain showing us jazz clubs, bookstores, parks etc. Victor is very good at his job and very knowledgeable about history. From there we had a walking food tour through St. Germain des Pres with Philipe. It was amazing being able to taste the best cheese, wine, bread, chocolate, croissant, macarons and coffee that Paris has to offer. Philipe was a great guide, very smart and engaging with all of us. The next day was our bike tour of Versailles. We met at the train station and took the 12 minute train ride to Versaille where we were outfitted with bicycles. Clara guided us to the Palace of Versailles and gave us a wonderful tour including the Hall of Mirrors. After the tour we rode our bikes through Versailles to the market where we had lunch and time to explore on our own. We then met back up with our group and biked the Palace gardens and Marie Antoinette's hamlet. It rained in the afternoon, but it was SO beautiful. This was probably my favorite day in France. The next day we had a private tour at the Louvre. Marie Claire was our guide and while we had limited time, she really showed us a lot including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the beautiful Rubens paintings. She is SO knowledgeable and just a very pleasant person. The tour was a nice stroll after a busy day biking in Versailles. We also saw both Victor and Philipe at the Louvre and they both made it a point to say Bonjour! Our final day in Paris was a free day which I specifically asked Lise to schedule for us. And while it was lovely to have time to explore on our own, I missed having the knowledge of our guides showing us the hidden treasures of the city. Our final evening, Lise arranged a Sienne River dinner cruise. It was raining lightly, which made the lights of the city even more beautiful and we had a lovely meal. Unfortunately both myself and my son did experience food poisoning from that dinner which hit us on our 10 hour flight home the next day. The meal itself was very good and I'm sure it was just a fluke. Overall, we loved our trip to France, saw and learned so much, and met the most lovely guides the country has to offer. I will definitely be using Kim Kim to help plan our next international adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées - Esprit de France

Paris

Great location close to the Champs Elysees. The staff was really great, helping us with urgency anything that we needed.

Authenticity & Character

I loved the decoration of the hotel, especially the cheetah print carpeting. Very French!

Location

Close to everything, but tucked away too.

Staff

Every staff member we encountered went above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Hôtel Au Charme Rabelaisien

Amboise

This is a very charming, small hotel in Amboise. It was clean and lovely. We were on the very top floor and the elevator didn't go all the way up, so there was a lot of climbing for us. But the views from our room made up for it.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and lovely.

Location

Quick walk to Centre Ville, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and the staff was helpful with all of our needs.

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

The Seine River dinner cruise on our last night in Paris was a high-end experience with a fancy meal. However, both my son and I got severe food poisoning from the meal. We were violently ill for about five hours during our 10-hour flight back home, not sure if this was related to the dinnner or not.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saint Germain des Près Food Tour

Paris

All the guides we had in Paris were fantastic. They were very knowledgeable and made the tours a learning experience for all of us. The food tour was particularly interesting as our guide was passionate about food and taught us about different cheese processes. It was fun and educational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Combo visit of Blois Castle and the House of Magic

France

The tour was scheduled to include a visit to Blois Castle and the House of Magic. We were looking forward to the House of Magic tour, particularly for my 13-year-old son. However, upon arrival, we found out that it was closed and wouldn't be open for several more weeks. Our guide was able to pivot last minute and took us on a wine tasting and to Leonardo da Vinci's house, which were enjoyable, but the unexpected change was a bit disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

The tour of Chambord and Chenonceau was fantastic. The guides were not only interesting as individuals, but they were also extremely knowledgeable about the places we were touring. The communication was seamless, with reminders and confirmations being sent a day before the scheduled transfer. The convenience of the transportation was greatly appreciated, especially when traveling with my two children.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana was great, really enjoy to coordinate with locally for transportation.

Hotel Reviews

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

The hotel staff was great! Manila being a huge city, and after traveling to Cebu and Paglao Islands, it was hard to get used to the traffic noise. Otherwise, the breakfast and staff were on point.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bohol Beach Club

Bohol

This resort has everything travelers need to have a good time: ample selection of food and drinks at the restaurant; great customer service; scuba diving services; swimming pool to cool off from the heat; environmentally-friendly glass pitchers to refill for daily water; and an unbelievable view of the water. The hotel staff were always friendly and it's extremely safe (gated with security at all times).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bluewater Maribago

Lapu-lapu City

Great breakfast, great service, and location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bohol Island Day Tour

Philippines

The tour guide is very knowledgeable about the local history.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking with fireflies

Philippines

First time kayaking with fireflies and it was a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was great, but I ate alone with a dog staring at me. It would've been nice if the tour guide had joined the dinner instead of them eating next door on their own. In previous tours with KimKim, all the guides were part of the meals.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cebu City and Mactan Island day tour

Philippines

The tour guide is very knowledgeable about the local history and easy to converse with.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paniqui Memorial Park

Manila

This was extra special to visit my ancestors' gravesites and I'm glad KimKim accommodated the transportation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip for a last minute put together was fabulous. We loved each place we visited. The hotels were gorgeous. The scenery was perfect.
Our guide for the waterfall scenic drive (Michael) has the perfect amount of energy. We absolutely loved him and learned so much about the area. He for sure made that experience a great one.
Everyone from the Kim Kim team was so helpful and promptly answered questions or helped when needed. Excellent service.

Working with Kimkim was great! They helped me plan my trip to Norway quickly, and I'm really appreciative of them helping figuring out the logistics of traveling within the country, as well as giving me some good ideas of what to do in each location. Made planning the trip easy.

Majid was excellent at responding to our many questions and requests. There were many details involved in our trip and from the minute we met our terrific driver Hamid we realized they were all covered! The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is we would have appreciated more time in modern areas, maybe only 1 Riad, and a more comfortable car for the many kilometers we travelled.

Hotel Review

Widiane Suite And Spa

Bine El Ouidane

Beautiful and luxurious, good prix fixe dinner. Wish we could have spent more time there!

Authenticity & Character

Moroccan staff.

Location

Beautiful lake.

Staff

Polite, considerate, patient with directions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful room with balcony and view. More comfortable and better amenities than riads.

Activity Reviews

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

Very nice people. Unoriginal food and very commercial, again. We did find some streets without shops and appreciated seeing the homes.

Day trip from Fes To Chefchaouen

Morocco

Loved the town but round trip in a day in uncomfortable car was tough.

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

Very nice family and it was interesting to see a home in the old city but food was the same as every other meal.

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Knowledgeable guide. It as fine for the imperial city but we would have enjoyed seeing more modern parts of Fes.

Explore Ouzoud Waterfalls hike for 2 hours

Marrakesh

Nice local guide who tried his best but a man in our party wasn’t feeling well and we tried taking the easier route down. Unfortunately it was very commercial. More of a giant souvenir stand than a natural wonder. We cut the walk short. Lunch was the same menu as everywhere.

Explore the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Fes

Beautiful interesting ruins, good local guide.

Essaouira Day trip: Exploring Essaouira

Morocco

Interesting walk and nice restaurant.

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Local guide Hamid was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Marrakech and Moroccan history. He spoke to us for a very long time before we started walking and it was difficult to retain all the information he shared. We walked through more of the large souk than we cared to. The merchandise was repeated over and over and the roaring speeding motorcycles were dangerously close most of the time. We decided not to do the food tour in the market square because we were very tired and toured out. Hamid was understanding about the change in plans and quickly brought us to a nearby restaurant. However, it didn’t serve alcohol and we would have liked wine and vodka.

Quality of Experience

Food

I liked the food but most places had the same menus.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hamid the driver was organized and upbeat. Local guides were nice but not as much fun.

Transport

Tight fit over many kilometers. We requested a more comfortable van but it wasn’t part of the program and unavailable.

Our vacation in Jordan was simply perfect. Magical in a way. Every place we visited was interesting, intriguing and beautiful. Jordan is a wonderful country. All our hotels were perfect.
A special thanks goes to Nader (or Nick for us!) our driver. He was very generous, kind, full of knowledge and he made our journey even more interesting. Thank you Samir for organising a great trip. We will come back. Enrica & family

The trip was amazing. Matt help set us up with great tour guides, they definitely helped make the trip much more enjoyable with their knowledge of the history in Gautemala. Highly recommend Wily from old town outfitters was great! I would say we traveled with comfort and we should have opted for luxury since we did spend 8 days there. Some hotel locations were a bit suspicious . I recommend the hike to Pacaya, the tours to lake atitlan and Tikal. I personally wouldn’t recommend the bike tour unless you are an avid biker! The kayaking portion is a bit tough but manageable with a partner. In all it was a great experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Jorge

Antigua

Great staff and front desk. Just no fan ventilation

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Blanca Inn

Guatemala City

Poor maintenance and plumbing. The workers weren’t very welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

I absolutely loved this experience. We went early morning at 7 to avid heavy tourism. The animals tend to get frightened by crowds of people

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Great hike, very beautiful hikes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valley Ride - Bicycle Tour of Antigua's Villages, Farms, and Ruins

Antigua

It was fun but it’s definitely something where you need to be an avid bike rider. You’re going through Main Streets and a lot of uphills to reach destinations

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The planning for our 21-day visit to Morocco was made quite efficient and stress-free due to the terrific assistance of Hamza. We were able to get suggestions, ask questions and tailor the experience to meet our particular desires. During our stay, the local support from Said certainly made us feel comfortable knowing we could count on assistance at all times. Both Hamza and Said were very prompt in responding and extremely polite. They answered all of our inquiries and were instrumental in assuring that we had a delightful time in the beautiful country.

A definite highlight of our trip was getting acquainted with our Driver, Soufiane. Not only was he an very safe driver but also helped us learn about the cities and countryside we visited. He was dependable, prompt, exceptionally polite and friendly. We appreciated that he could easily converse with us in English. It was such an honor to get to meet Soufiane's family and enjoy a delicious Moroccan meal that his mother prepared.

We didn't want to leave Morocco!!
Karen

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Lovely setting and accomodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ghita

Fes

Comfortable and Clean. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Lots of stairs to climb to get to bedrooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful

Location

Convenient location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

We stayed at Movenpick Hotel 2 nights upon arriving and leaving for the airport. The first visit, we had no hot water. The breakfast was very good. It seems a bit far from the airport and we might have benefitted from lodging closer to our flights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Fes to Marrakech

Morocco

Long but pleasant drive

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a Local Family

Morocco

Our Driver shared with us a visit to his home where we met his mom, dad, cousin, and brother. They were all so gracious and welcoming. Mom prepared an amazing meal with three courses of Moroccan delights. This experience was an honor and highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes: Morocco's Spiritual Heart

Fes

Excellent guide!! The Medina is a vast maze! We would have been lost without a guide and would not have enjoyed the visit nearly as much. I am so glad we didn't try to tour it by ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Very hot the day we toured. Remember to take water. Certainly worth the time to visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide that met us for this visit was certainly knowledgeable but we found him difficult to relate to.

Transport

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Beautiful Mosque!! Tour was very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tina did an exceptional job planning our trip to Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Every hotel she picked exceeded our expectations. She was very helpful with a luggage issue and always responded timely with any questions we had. Would highly recommend Kimkim and Tina!

We had a great action packed trip. We had limited time (7.5 days) but squeezed in everything we wanted. We loved Marrakesh and our night in the Sahara desert the most. Our driver Ayoub was amazing.

It was a wonderful trip with a well thought out plan for each of the days. We especially liked the guided tours with Yasuko in Kyoto, Nara and Arashiyama, Masako in Hiroshima and Yoko in Takayama. WE loved each of the shrines, temples, natural wonders and gardens that we saw. We loved the food at every place. Except for Hiroshima where the room was really tiny and we had to upgrade on our own, all the other hotels and rooms were lovely. We especially liked the hotels with Onsen and the Gasso house and Ryokan stays which were traditional and unique. One advice is to include some learning and workshops in the trip. We asked for it and our guide helped us find a Japanese sweet making workshop which was so much fun! We really enjoyed ourselves. Thank you Kimkim for this beautiful trip.

Activity Reviews

Transfer from your hotel to the airport with a private vehicle

Tokyo

Half Day Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Tour (Private Guide+Public Transport)

Kyoto

Excellent guide

Full Day Nara Kofuku-ji, Todai-ji, and Isuien Garden Tour

Kyoto

Excellent guide

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Kinkaku-ji Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha (Join-in)

Kyoto

Th tour was excellent. The guide was knowledgable and shared a lot of information. Also guided us into every site herself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour with an English-speaking guide and public transportation

Hiroshima

Excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-day tour to Shirakawa-go with an English-speaking guide and public bus

Takayama

Here a new guide was given who took money from us for his lunch which was later returned when we told kimkim. He also took extra money for a shuttle up the hill which was also returned later. Not a good experience.

Full Day Takayama City Tour

Takayama

Transfer to Mt. Fuji and overnight in Hakone

Tokyo

Wonderful driver and guide. Brilliant weather.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tea Ceremony, Senso-ji, Tsukiji Outer Market and Tokyo Tower Tour (Join-in)

Tokyo

The tea ceremony was excellent but the guide for the whole trip was not engaging and did not give us much information about the places we saw.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

engaging more information

Transport

Transfer from the airport to your hotel with a private vehicle

Tokyo

Driver was very late.

We had a lovely trip. I do have a couple of reservations, which I'll talk about below.

First, I should say that Vaseem was very responsive and helpful. We probably contacted him more than he would wish while we were traveling! We did find one of the hotel rooms quite cramped, and we don't think 15 square meters should be called "spacious" for a couple, especially with a huge bed taking up most of it. But my main reservation is about the Kimkim model in which buyers get no breakdown of costs. This makes it very hard to tell whether we are getting reasonable value for the money, and to weigh and choose different elements. We chose to reduce the level of hotels, but in retrospect might have dropped some of the private pickups instead. These were very uneven in service. On the plus side, all the drivers were on time. But we expected help with luggage (being rather old), and while some were great about this, one young fellow in Lyon led us on a long bag drag without offering help, just peeking around occasionally to see if we were trailing along behind. We passed a line of taxis we would have loved to jump into instead.

We greatly enjoyed the Beaujolais wine tour with Eddie and Roman history tour with David. For each of the tours we were given inaccurate information about the meeting place and time, which led to some unnecessary worry and inconvenience. We liked most of the hotels, except for getting luggage up and down spiral staircases. The most charming was in Montpellier (luckily the kind concierge gave us a room in the portion of the hotel with an elevator, so there was only a little bit of spiral staircase). Our hostess in Avignon was extremely helpful with advice about sights and restaurants.

Anyway, thank you to Vaseem and the tour guides. To Kimkim management, please be more transparent about costs. I know we're not the only travelers who want this.

My husband and I had a fabulous trip to Ireland and Scotland thanks to my specialists for each country, Claire and Justine. They discussed our wish list with us to create a perfect excursion. We are foodies and wanted to see all the places that make each country special and they delivered a perfect itinerary. We wanted to stay in unique venues that included great food and convenient locations and that's exactly what we got. We also wanted to be independent, yet get see all the sites so we traveled by rental car, train and tour buses depending on what would be best for each location. We definitely feel we got to know each country and all their wonderful food, history and beautiful landscapes. I never could have put together a plan on my own as amazing as this trip. Both specialist were there to help with any questions and information along the way, so we always had support throughout the journey. THANK YOU Claire and Justine!

Great guides, drivers and tours:
Elizabeth---Lake Como/Bellagio
Roberto--Amalfi coast
Nancy--Pompei
Suzanna/Faustra--Roma
Valentina--driver/Tuscany

Great overall experience--if anyone not mentioned, apologies as all arranged guidance was exceptional.

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Salgar

Naples

we were only there one night---last of our tour. Nice modern hotel---small but comfortable room. Nice breakfast. A difficult shower---another wet floor LOL Would have preferred a hotel near waterfront area. We walked there and there were a number of options, but assume cost would be higher.

Authenticity & Character

its modern, little character. appeared to be a business trip hotel

Location

appeared not to be a desirable area of Napoli (??) not much to do around hotel---needed taxi to get to activity and restaurants

Staff

lobby staff very accommodating when we interacted

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean throughout.. lobby, restaurant, room

Hotel Conca Park

Sorrento

wow!! from entrance via tunnels filled w/ art to modern lobby to great hotel room views of Sorrento. Excellent location and accommodation. Opera and jazz singer in bar area the first night--amazing only issue--3Euro per pool towel. really??

Authenticity & Character

its a modern hotel in an old historic city---another great bath and shower

Location

Walk to heart of Sorrento and activities

Staff

we were welcomed!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tree Charme Parliament Boutique Hotel & Bistrot

Rome

great location ... Like much of Roma--tight streets and access. Small reception area and restaurant. Close to eating options. Appeared to be a safe area. Hotel is in a 500 year old building that has been re-purposed---great rooms and good security. Great shower---American comfort.

Authenticity & Character

see above comment

Location

see above comment

Staff

front desk very accommodating for our group

Cleanliness & Comfort

room and bath very clean

Albergo Posta Marcucci

Bagno Vignoni

Great character in hotel---very comfortable....loved the hot bath pools

Authenticity & Character

old charm feel to hotel lobby and bar. nice rooms, great view

Location

in Tuscany---with real hot bath pools

Staff

we did not feel welcome in the hotel restaurant at dinner. Waiter and (manager?) made us feel a bit not at ease. As if they did not care if we were there. We were late due to travel (drive called ahead and advised hotel). Breakfast staff was much more friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

spa and outdoor water baths/pool

NH Collection Milano President

Milan

in heart of Milano near Duomo and piazza. Very modern, clean, accommodating, Great breakfast. Staff helpful.

Authenticity & Character

its a modern building. Rooms were great, nothing wrong. Americans don't understand Europe shower in bathroom...made a water mess....LOL

Location

near restaurants and duomo piazza

Staff

accommodating and very good english

Cleanliness & Comfort

room, bath, lobby, restaurant bar

Activity Reviews

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento

Italy

unfortunately weather cancelled this tour

Quality of Experience

Naples Pizza Making Class

Naples

fun and engaging

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the pizza guide/instructor was very good

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

WOW!!---great experience. Hands on demonstration. Included our group members in the process. Conducted personally by the chef and restaurant owner! Engaging, funny and a fantastic lunch.

Quality of Experience

everything! People, food, view, kindness

Food

WOW!! one of best meals on our entire tour week

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Truly felt like they enjoyed our group being at their establishment

Transport

Roberto

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Beautiful area--sadly the weather was not good so the clouds and rain kept much of the beauty hidden

Quality of Experience

Roberto was a great driver/guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was great--engaging and friendly

Transport

due to weather, Roberto scheduled a visit to an olive oil factory--totally on his own and to help our day be filled

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Pompeii is a must see stop. Nancy was our guide--very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Rome in a Day

Rome

we saw what we needed to see in Roma. Fantastic guide...loved having headphones (provided) so we could hear the guide throughout the tour in very crowded areas. Our guide took us to a favorite restaurant and we had a great meal w/ her.

Quality of Experience

the guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

the transport from one area to another was prompt

Private Evening Rome Walking Tour

Rome

Our guide--Faustra (sp??) was extremely knowledgeable and personable. Very good english. Gave us a great tour and insight of Roma within the limited 2-hour tour. We saw places we wanted to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vineyard Walk and Tasting in an Umbrian Vineyard

Italy

small, family winery. intimate. the owner was our guide ! Very welcoming--great lunch and hospitality!

Quality of Experience

enjoyed the small, intimate atmosphere

Guides, Drivers and Staff

a family member of the winery ownership was our personal guide at the winery!

Transport

got us there on time

Winery tour in Chianti Area

Italy

nice tour of a large volume winery

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentia--great english, engaging personality--helped us find a great restaurant for lunch

Transport

the guide--Valentina

Lake Como and Bellagio – Full Day Trip from Milan with Cruise

Italy

great guide w Elizabeth. Beautiful boat ride...Bellagio fantastic. Guide took us to her favorite restaurant for lunch---amazing!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful area of Italy---Bellagio is a jewel

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great assistance, patient, informative, appreciative

Transport

its a local train from Milan--be prepared for a slow trip to Como

My husband and I are writing to express my heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding service provided by your travel agent during the recent planning and execution of our trip.

From the moment we engaged with your agency, it was evident that your team operates at a level of expertise that is truly commendable. However, it was my interaction with Hakim that left an indelible mark on my travel experience.

Hakim demonstrated an exceptional degree of attention to detail throughout the entire process. Every aspect of my itinerary was meticulously crafted, leaving no room for oversight or uncertainty. His thorough understanding of our preferences and requirements translated into a tailored journey that exceeded my expectations.

What truly sets Hakim apart is his ability to anticipate potential challenges and provide effective solutions proactively. This level of foresight is a testament to their extensive knowledge and expertise in the travel industry. It was evident that Hakim invested a significant amount of time and effort into ensuring that every leg of my journey was seamless.

Moreover, Hakim exhibited exemplary communication skills. His messages were not only clear and concise but also conveyed a genuine interest in our travel experience. It was evident that Hakim was not merely facilitating a transaction, but rather, building a relationship based on trust and mutual understanding.

In today's fast-paced world, finding professionals who balance professionalism with a personable touch can be rare. Hakim exemplifies this balance effortlessly. Their warm and approachable demeanor made me feel valued as a client, and we knew that we were in good hands.

In conclusion, our experience with Hakim and your agency has been nothing short of exceptional. Hakim not only met our expectations but surpassed them, leaving us with memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. We wholeheartedly recommend your services to anyone seeking a travel agency that combines expertise with a personal touch.

Thank you once again for providing such an outstanding service.