Kimkim Trip Reviews

Fabulous trip all around
Tours guides EXCEPTIONAL!!!

Hotel Reviews

Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel

Puerto Viejo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort

La Fortuna

Great hot springs s as nd beautiful setting

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bribri Chocolate & Waterfall Excursion

Costa Rica

Enrico was great

Quality of Experience

Enrico

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Adventure & Rainforest Hike in Punta Uva

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Lots of animals- sloth, monkey, turtle etc…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Excursion in Rainforest and Wild Frog Sanctuary

Arenal/La Fortuna

Boring

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Mambo Combo Canyoning and Rafting

Arenal/La Fortuna

Staff was superb!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Sky Trek & Sky Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an incredible vacation in Thailand. We went to Bangkok and Krabi. In Bangkok we had a guide, Annie, who did an amazing job of navigating the streets of Bangkok and taking the best pictures, ordering the best food and taking care to show us the temples, markets and culinary treats of the region.
In Krabi, we enjoyed the Following Giants Elephant Sanctuary, the guides were very knowledgeable and respectful about the care and treatment of the elephants.
Kayaking on the Khlong Nam was fantastic and we got an early start and had the place to ourselves before it got busy and we learned about pineapple farming as well as rubber and palm.
Phi Phi islands was also impressive, beautiful beaches and tasy lunch, guides were great.

Hotel Reviews

The ShellSea Krabi I Luxury Beach Resort & Pool Villas

Krabi

The room was comfortable and well stocked, daily breakfast was impressive. We ate at the on-site resturants three times and everything was good and there was always live entertainment that was talented, we had a great time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

on the beach but not close to anything else so we had to take transportation into Krabi.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms were always cleaned and refreshed and stocked with water daily.

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Comfortable hotel, good location, daily breakfast was really good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

lots of restaurants to walk to, close to transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was clean but the daily cleaning was always later in the day when we were back in our room.

Activity Reviews

Kayaking at Khlong Nam Sai and Pinapple Farm

Krabi

We went early, pick up around 7am and they gave us a delicious breakfast and we got on the water before anyone else was there. The water is so clear you can see the fish swimming. We had a guide and another person who took pictures for us and we were able to swim. Afterwards we saw the pineapple farm and also learned about rubber harvesting and palm oil.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Jungle Walk with Elephants at Following Giants (Joining Tour)

Krabi

This was a place where you could tell everyone was really dedicated to the well being of the elephants and our guide Pim was especially knowledgable and respectful of how sensitive the elephants are. They are also forthcoming about the healing of intergenerational trauma for both the humans and the elephants.

Quality of Experience

Food

traditional thai dishes and fresh fruit

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

We had a great time, exhilerating tuk tuk ride and great sites plus lots of great food. It started with rooftop beers at sunset and then Annie took us to the best street food stalls and china town, there was lots of great food, including coconut ice cream and she gave us mango sticky rice to go, we were surprised everything was included.

Quality of Experience

Food

everything was delicious-we had skewers, meatballs, pork and duck with noodles, pad thai, coconut ice cream, mango sticky rice and tried the chestnuts.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Annie picked the freshest tastiest dishes and was happy to take pictures of us at the landmarks

Transport

All tours and guides were excellent. We would recommend all of the activities on our itinerary.

Special mention to Grievin and Andrea from Uvita Night Tours. We spent two days with them and they were fantastic!

Would recommend adding Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary to your tours.

We had an amazing trip to Peru! We loved how the trip felt catered to our interests and what we wanted to see during our time in Peru. Some of our favorite sites were Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, and Rainbow Mountain. Our tour guides were all very friendly, great, and knowledgeable. Enrique was our tour guide for the Inca Trail; he made this hike an incredible experience. We felt very taken care of on this trip and were frequently checked in on, especially by Yael. We have been on several trips now with KimKim, and Peru has been top notch as far as satisfaction goes. I would recommend this trip to any friends and family, and would feel very comfortable having them book with Alvaro and interact with the same tour guides. Thank you to everyone who helped make this trip truly memorable!

Hotel Review

Terra Andina Mansion Colonial

Cusco

We loved this hotel! The staff members were extremely friendly, personable, and helpful. The breakfast and restaurant was amazing, and it was conveniently located near the heart of Cusco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hike the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Enrique was our tour guide for this portion of our trip, and he was nothing short of amazing! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. I could not have asked for a better experience to such a memorable part of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim and especially our travel agent Kien, made our trip to Thailand absolutely unforgettable. From start to finish, everything was flawlessly planned—our excursions, transfers, resorts, and especially our wedding were beyond anything we could have imagined.

What truly stood out was how closely he listened to every detail of what we wanted. We shared that we were looking for adventure and not a typical tourist experience—we wanted to truly experience the beauty and culture of Thailand—and he absolutely nailed it. Every part of our itinerary felt authentic and intentional, and we loved being able to explore so many different areas, each with its own unique charm.

Every detail was handled with care, which allowed us to completely relax and enjoy every moment. Our wedding was simply magical, and we are so grateful for the thought and effort that went into making it so special. Thank you so much for truly making our wedding and honeymoon perfect.

Our planner with KimKim, Emerson, just got it right! We had no idea what to expect or what to ask for. Yet, somehow Emerson knew exactly what to plan for us. Our first 3 nights were in Rovaniemi. We stayed at the Artic Lights Hotel. The accommodations were amazing and the staff were so helpful and friendly. The restaurant on site was phenomenal!! I recommend the roasted reindeer as it was outstanding! Risto our guide from Johka made sure we saw the Northern Lights. He drove us almost to Sweden where the skies were clear just so we wouldn’t miss out. The photo’s he took belong in a magazine. Again, he was knowledgeable and personable. We had such a good time out on the frozen lake staring at the sky.
We visited Korouoma Canyon where our guide Geowdy from Wild About Lapland took us on a 5km hike to see the frozen waterfalls. She was so perky and upbeat you almost forgot you were hiking!! Our last night we ate at Gustav. This is a must stop!!! Delicious!! The folks at Sieriporo Reindeer Safari took really good care of us. We all learned so much about the reindeer. The sleigh ride was relaxing and beautiful!
From Rovaniemi we went to Levi where we stayed at the Northern Lights Ranch. Such a unique experience to sleep in a glass room !! Food was exceptional and the staff was amazing. For our last day we took a snowmobile safari with Lowry at Lazy Santa safaris. He was super! I don’t even have words for the scenery. Absolutely breathtaking!! The tour was very personal, just the 3 of us. He equipped us with everything we needed to stay warm and dry. Super knowledgeable and friendly!! Every driver we had for the transfers were professional and informative. Best vacation ever!!! Thank you KimKim and Emerson!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

In the heart of the city center. Beautiful room and very clean. Staff were helpful and friendly. Complementary breakfast was delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Mix of old and new. Cobblestone street but modern amenities.

Location

Walking distance to everything.

Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was comfortable and clean.

Northern Lights Ranch

Köngäs

Rustic but modern. Sparse but everything you need. The personal hot tub was a big hit. So cool to enjoy under the stars with it snowing. Staff were friendly and the restaurant was great! Even had a few reindeer on site to feed and interact with.

Authenticity & Character

Just what you would imagine Nordic design to be.

Location

Close to ski resort but far enough away from city that if conditions are right viewing the Northern Lights would be ideal.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were well thought out. Everything you needed for a comfortable stay was provided.

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

This hotel is beautifully appointed. The staff were very friendly, welcoming and helpful. It was within walking distance to everything. The breakfast was outstanding!! Everything from bacon and eggs to fruits and oatmeal to cold sandwich fixings. The restaurant on site (The Artic) was phenomenal!! The perfect stay! Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Quaint but not small. Complementary sauna. Beautifully decorated

Location

Walking distance to everything

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were warm and inviting and it was fun to shower with a polar bear!!

Activity Reviews

Snowmobile Safari from Riverside Lodge

Levi

Lowry our host made this experience outstanding!! He provided everything we needed to stay warm and dry. The actual ride was amazing!! Plenty of time on the snowmobile with lots of spectacular views. We all had a blast. I loved that it was just the 3 of us in our group. Made you feel catered to.

Quality of Experience

Lowry at Lazy Santa Safaris was a stupendous guide!! A perfect host! We felt like we were just out riding with a friend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I loved the small group. I felt catered to.

Transport

Land Rover was clean and we all felt safe.

Group Reindeer Safari and Farm Visit

Rovaniemi

The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. You could tell they were proud of their heritage. The farm was beautiful and the ride was relaxing and offered views of the forest that were stunning!

Quality of Experience

Our host’s knowledge of the reindeer was exceptional

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable.

Transport

Aimilee was very personable and friendly. We felt safe and the van itself was comfortable and clean

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Finland

Risto our guide was outstanding!! Even though conditions were not optimal for viewing the Northern Lights he drove us to nearly Sweden where the skies were clear enough to see. The photos he took were magazine quality!! Being on a frozen lake added to the experience of the lights! This was an incredible experience and the main reason for our trip.

Quality of Experience

Viewing the lights while standing on a frozen lake was spectacular!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and funny. Risto really wanted us to see the Northern Lights.

Transport

Comfortable van. Clean and warm. Conversation was good.

Korouoma Canyon & Frozen Waterfalls Adventure

Finland

Geowdy our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Very upbeat. The falls were beautiful and the hike was good. Challenging but doable. They provided everything needed to stay warm and dry.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful view. Challenging hike.

Food

Very fatty sausage.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geowdy was upbeat, very personable and knowledgeable

Transport

Safe driver.

Five stars do not adequately express how much we enjoyed our trip. This was really one of the best trips we ever took. The itinerary was so well planned, which for us was focused on nature and history. All the accommodations were top notch and every meal was delicious. What really made the trip stand out was our driver, Youssef. He was so caring, professional, and helpful in so many ways. It was like having someone anticipate your every need. The biggest help he gave was assisting us in changing our plans midstream knowing just what would work best and our travel coordinator, Majid made it happen. We will definitely be repeat customers!

Hotel Reviews

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Very quiet even in Marrakech. The hammam was great and the breakfast a nice change of pace.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

An amazing room which was quite large. The food was a real change and as foodies a welcome change.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

We ended up with 2 nights here and both liked that a lot. For the best magic it is a good idea to plan the camel ride for the first night if you do two. They are very serious about green practices. The food was surprisingly good and they vary it if you stay multiple meals etc.

Authenticity & Character

Arriving on camel back after sundown was breathtaking.

Location

Not too far on the camel, not crowded by other camps.

Staff

So hard working and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This is a hard job but they did a great job.

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

Fun location and nice breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

It seems so hidden but then you go in and you have your peaceful place in Fes.

Location

Easy to get to but still very quiet.

Staff

We’re so helpful when we wanted to go out walking on our own.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Make sure to explore right when you get there to appreciate all the neat corners and views,

Authenticity & Character

Our first Riad. Great reception and breakfast.

Location

Centrally located but quiet.

Staff

Very patient and relaxed with helpful recommendations.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bring a hand towel if you are used to having one.

Activity Reviews

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Wonderful guide here as well. Fez is an amazing place and not to be missed.

Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou & Marrakech

Morocco

He had a great hike here with a wonderful guide, Mohammad. Beautiful nature and interesting culture.

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

Guided Tour of Volubilis

Volubilis

Fantastic Roman ruins . Very knowledgeable guide. A must see!

Half-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in Rabat

Rabat

Great guide and we learned a lot. a beautiful city!

Private Tour of Marrakech, the "Red City"

Marrakesh

Very knowledgeable guide! Hammed was great and we learned a lot about history and architecture.

Our travel agent was Rita. She was fantastic! When we were getting ready to officially book the trip, my father passed away. I told her we needed to pause the planning while we were grieving and mourning him. She expressed her sympathies and said just to let her know when we were ready to move forward. When I reached out to her she was ready for us. I loved the communication. While leading up to the trip I would think of a question and she would answer it quickly. She sent us an itinerary and we wanted to scale it back a little and she did. The tours she set us up with were fantastic and small group size for the Colosseum and Vatican. That was a huge plus! Part of me was a little nervous to use a Travel Agency that was strictly online but my cousin recommended them and I have no regrets. Rita and the contacts we had while on our trip were close to local time and knew the areas so that was so helpful. I would definitely book a trip with them again!

Hotel Reviews

The Glam

Rome

Great location! Walking distance to Trevi Fountain and Colosseum. Near lots of shops too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

Loved how quaint and quiet it was! All of the staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near a water bus stop.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Vatican: From the Museums to the Sistine Chapel

Italy

Lots to see and lots of walking. Very crowded but that’s why having a small group was so nice. We had 6 of us in our group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the City by Gondola

Venice

So cool! Definite must do when you are in Venice. Got to go down canals you can’t get to by foot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get Inside the Colosseum with Arena Access

Italy

Loved that it was just a group of 6 of us. So much information and got to see so many different spots around the arena.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

We did all the walking. However where to meet was not correct I’m glad I reached out to be sure where to meet.

We had an amazing time in Lisbon/Ponta Delgada even though the weather was not at its best.
Key people who made this possible are Rui (our guide in Lisbon) and Leandro and Pedro (our guides in Ponta Delgada).
Diana and team did a great job with coordination as we had multiple changes due to delayed/cancelled flights and some trip cancellations. Thank you again!!

Great Day,

My experience with KimKim and my specialist agent Mr. Said was more than I had expected! From time I corresponded with him via email and WhatsApp was beyond excellent customer service! He listen to my request and my changes to the itinerary and we came up with an excellent trip plan for my Birthday! He even title my itinerary Mary’s Birthday Culture & Adventure! Which was a Wonderful touch it made me feel very special! With everything going on in the world he even reassured me that Marrakesh was safe and if I didn’t feel comfortable about traveling right now that I could reschedule (top notch service) ! I decided to take my trip and I’m glad I did! From the schedule pick up at the Airport with Amead whom was very kind, gracious and patient! He took us to a restaurant for a light breakfast and a park near our Riad to visit while we waited for the time of check in! He was Amazing! Our next guide was Mr. Abdul which took us on our Food Tour which was absolutely delicious, he was very informative of the culture and food, he listened to us concerning food consumption and delivered! We also had me Abdul for our Culture and Shopping tour which we experienced a lot and purchased some great items! He got us in a Restaurant for lunch which we truly enjoyed! Mr. Jamal was with us for 3 days in the mountains, the desert and back in Marrakesh! Mr. Jamal has a kind spirit, he is very patient and makes you feel safe and comfortable! I can truly call him my brother, he provided the best service that I could have ever experienced! I can go on and on about how wonderful Mr. Jamal is, you will have to book his services to experience it for yourself! Kim Kim Travel you are blessed to have him in you community! Mr. Jamal is a jewel! If you are looking for a solid team to take care of all your travel needs in this beautiful country in Morocco please choose Kim Kim Travel, trust me you won’t be disappointed ! This is a professional service provider that will take care of all your needs! We have been blown away by the services provided and you will be too! Blessing, Mary Richburg (USA)

We had an incredible experience working with Gummi. From start to finish, the itinerary was thoughtfully planned, detailed, and perfectly tailored to our travel style. We gave him full rein, and he absolutely delivered.

The hotel selections were excellent—each one unique, comfortable, and well-located for our route. The car rental process was seamless, which made our self-drive trip easy and stress-free.

What really stood out was the level of detail in the itinerary. He included preliminary driving routes for each day, which made planning and navigation so much easier. Beyond the main highlights, he also provided specific tips and directions to hidden waterfalls, scenic viewpoints, and lesser-known stops that we never would have found on our own. Those moments truly made the trip special..

He also provided fantastic restaurant recommendations in every region we visited and booked a few really fun excursions.

Over 8 days, we drove from Reykjavík through the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the Golden Circle, Vík, and all the way to the southeast near Höfn. The route flowed perfectly and allowed us to experience Iceland at our own pace.

Even more impressive was his attentiveness during unexpected weather—he checked in and made sure we were safe and well-prepared, which we really appreciated.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a well-organized, personalized, and truly memorable Iceland experience.

The entire process of planning, booking and experiencing our amazing trip to Ecuador including the Amazon and the Galapagos was handled with ease and efficiency by Maria and KimKim travel. We enjoyed not having to worry about any of the logistics at any of our stops. Maria and Maurizio (our Driver) were always on time and available for any additional issues. I definitely recommend KimKim travel and will personally use them again.

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Coral I & II

Great way to experience the Galapagos in more personalized way. There was a total of 14 passengers on our boat. The rooms were small but you don't spend much time there anyway. The common area where you dine and gather was comfortable. David, the bar tender and waiter was amazing. He did everything he could to make sure you had everything you wanted. The excursions and snorkeling allowed everyone to see all the amazing wildlife.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Multiple island stops

Staff

Staff and guides were always available and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small rooms and mildew smell

Sacha Lodge

Coca

A beautiful destination in the Amazon Rain Forest. Food was excellent. Gregorio our tour guide went out of his way to be sure we saw as much of the wildlife and beauty he could find. Accommodations were exceptional

Authenticity & Character

Location

Part of the adventure was getting there

Staff

Gregorio was a very good tour guide

Cleanliness & Comfort

Go Quito Hotel

Quito

Located in the center of Quito, this hotel provides everything a traveler could need. Staff is friendly, excellent drinks at the bar and spacious, clean rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

About a 40 minute ride from the airport

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Magic of Otavalo: Immerse Yourself in Indigenous Culture and Vibrant Markets and visit Cuicocha Lake.

Ecuador

Long day driving around. Cuicocha Lake was underwhelming but it was a nice place to get out and stretch. Enjoyed stops along the way for native treats. Could have spent more time at the market. Lunch at old estate was a nice surprise

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maurizio and Maria

Transport

Comfortable ride

Discover Quito's Best-Kept Secrets: A Full-Day Tour of the Historic and the Middle of the World

Quito

Chocolate tasting, tour of old town

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge - Return to Quito

Yasuni National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 3

Yasuni National Park

Crane views, Piranha fishing, indigenous village

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 2

Yasuni National Park

Hiking and tower views

Quality of Experience

Hikes were a bit drawn out. would appreciate a little more free time

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 1

Yasuni National Park

Beautiful accommodations in the heart of the Rain Forest. We watched squirrel monkeys jump from tree to tree right from the back deck of our room

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quite an adventure from Coca to the lodge, but well worth it

Transfer out Quito and flight to El Coca

Ecuador

No issues

Quality of Experience

Food

Buffet breakfast at the hotel is very nice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel.

Quito

Could have stayed closer to the airport for this brief overnight stay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was so smoothly planned. There wasn’t any glitches. Paula did an outstanding job. We experienced so many different adventures that were so new to me. First time snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef - very cool, camel ride, and the bridge climb that I was sure I wouldn’t do. But really glad I did. We had an excellent trip

Hotel Review

Robe House

Robe, SA

This was such a great place to stay at. We really enjoyed our night there. Very quaint and special.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were clean and charming

Location

The town didn’t have much there but the hotel was worth it

Staff

Nothing to improve on. I didn’t interact with any staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the breakfast foods for in the morning. Everything was very clean

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Camel to Sunset

Australia

I wasn’t really sure if I was going to enjoy the camel ride, but it was really fun. A new adventure to add to my travel experience.

Quality of Experience

Something new that I tried and really enjoyed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was really amazing and fun and very informative

Transport

Full Day Outer Reef Mackay Coral Cay (from Port Douglas Hotel)

Port Douglas

It was my first time snorkeling. The staff was very accommodating and helpful. They made sure that you were comfortable going out snorkeling and checked on you while you were out there. It was a great adventure.

Quality of Experience

Just how helpful they were with the first time I snorkeled. They didn’t make you feel dumb that you didn’t know what you were doing.

Food

The food was really good. Sometimes you think you’re gonna get crummy food on these trips and this one was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful, attentive and friendly staff. They made the trip

Transport

Hannah planned an amazing trip for our family to Iceland in March- the driving itinerary gave us lots of flexibility to explore and she listened to our feedback to plan the perfect trip. Our kids loved Th ice cave tour and secret lagoon. We will definitely use KimKim again- it took all the stress out of travel planning.

This trip was incredible. Michelle put together exactly what we hoped for after listening to what we wanted. Every aspect of the trip from pre planning ,lodging, trips, transfers, guides and adventures was perfect. Thanks for making this a trip of a lifetime!

This was the first time using Kimkim and we would absolutely use them again. Our trip itinerary was customized for our family and included super unique experiences and hotel stays that we don’t believe we would have been able to find ourselves. The clear and thorough instructions in the daily itinerary were easy to follow and reflected the appropriate amount of downtime between excursions and traveling between cities. Overall super happy with the trip and thank you guys very much!

Booking with Kimkim was easy. Mohamed and Said, our main contacts, helped with the planning and were flexible on our schedule and what we wanted to see. Our primary driver, Karim, was amazing! We learned a lot about the Imazighen (free people) from him. Our trip started during the last days of Ramadan and many places were closed but we still got to do a lot, including an extra, unplanned stop at Chellah in Rabat. It was one of the many highlights of this trip. Karim also recommended and drove us to several different restaurants that were wonderful, including one that had a fun show with various musicians, dancer, and magician. In Fez, our local guide patiently took us to many different tradespeople and sites within the Medina. Because of Eid al-Fitr, several tradespeople were off but we still had a wonderful day and I especially enjoyed the serenity and beauty of the mosque we were allowed to enter. In Marrakech, we ended up with a substitute guide, Charma Ouammi, that Karim recommended when our original local guide got sick. Charma was the best and we were extremely happy the substitution and with Karim for the recommendation. We definitely want to come back and spend even more time in Marrakech and the Atlas mountains.

Activity Review

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karim was patient and informative

i've traveled before with kimkim to Bali and had an amazing experience. Every hotel was beautiful and unique. Every tour guide was fabulous and our overall experience and itinerary were amazing. On this trip, it was mostly positive. but there were a few issues and disappointments. Our hotel in Hanoi was really nothing special, but our Ha Long Bay trip was extraordinary.
Unfortunately, the next day we were supposed to leave for the airport flying out at 2 PM. We were done at 11:30 and if they had sent a driver to take us directly to the airport, we would have made our flight and been there mid afternoon. However, Kien arranged it so that we would return toward Hanoi with the other passengers and then meet another driver to take us to the airport. I was concerned about making the flight when we were waiting for more than half an hour for our first driver to leave then when we got to a stop along the way I found out our driver had no idea about meeting this other driver and he laughed when I told him that our flight was at too. He said there's no way you're going to make it. Kien had promised us it would be no problem. He ended up booking us on a later flight and we had several hours wait in the airport. And instead of reaching. Hoi A mid afternoon and exploring the town. We ended up getting there after 8 PM when it was dark and we had no idea where to go. I told.Kien my frustrations, thinking he was with kimkim and not exotic voyages, the local tour company, and he proceeded to get defensive. He blamed it on our budget and that it would cost more to put a driver in a hotel and pick us up directly as opposed to doing it the way he arranged it. I told him that made little sense and was poor planning because he could've hired a local driver to how long Bay and they could've taken us directly. But instead, we ended up traveling for over eight hours that day, and it could have been avoided. He then made more excuses in broken English before apologizing in Ai perfect English. It felt insincere and like he didn't take accountability for the huge inconvenience he'd created for us. We loved our Cambodian tour guides as well out Namgkok guide but even she had to admit our hotel was in b a random area that was not attractive and far from b everything. The hotel itself was move. Our Phuket hotel was beautiful but far from everything. It would have been nice to know that so we could have decided if that worked for us. Overall, we had a great trip but there were some bumpy patches and it didn't compare to our previous experience with Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

My Beach Resort

This is a gorgeous hotel with beautiful jews. It is far away from everything though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pranakorn Heritage Hotel

Bangkok

The hotel was very nice but the area was far away from everything and not so nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tara Angkor Hotel

Siem Reap

This was a big, very nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lantana Boutique Hoi An Hotel

Hoi An

The location was nice on the river and the hotel was pleasant. There were prettier spots though on b the river where the boats go and it would have seemed magical.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Indochine Grand Cruise

Quang Ninh

This was an excellent experience and the highlight of our trip. The surroundings were breathtaking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff was young and didn't seem to take their jobs seriously.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solaria Tesori Hanoi

Nothing special here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary Afternoon Visit (Joining Activity)

Phuket

We loved this.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

So interesting and fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Wat Po & Enjoy Foot Massage

Bangkok

loved our guide v Annie and the foot massage was awesome!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finding The Lost Angkor Temples - Lunch at Srah Srang Village House

Siem Reap

We loved our guide Set. The tour was interesting and our guide was adaptable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Apsara Dinner Show

Siem Reap

beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romantic Dining On Bamboo Raft

Hoi An

Loved our guide and dining on the river view from his home. Loved his mom who took us on a separate boat tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Town Walking Tour & Floating Lantern Release

Hoi An

We enjoyed the tour v and the wishes on the river but didn't like our pushy guide. He made people mad and caused our rickshaw drivers to refuse us. He also took us to a crafts place beforehand where there was high pressure sales on embroidery item. Felt like a cheap tour at that point where the guides profit by visiting certain shops. He also used a friend of his on the boat tour and he took us v away from all the other boats releasing wishes, which would have been magical. We topped the driver and then I saw our guide take his payment to the man back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Cruise and Return to Hanoi

Ha Long Bay

We spent eight hours of travel to get to Hoi An because of poor planning by Kien and Exotic Voyages.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lantern Making D.I.Y

Hoi An

This was not a great experience. it was my ourselves in a non impressive location. it felt dirty and impersonal. We would have enjoyed a group experience in a nicer location.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guide for the day was not good.

Transport

I don't have the words to say how much I enjoyed our trip through New Zealand. Yes, I could have booked everything myself and saved a little money. But Kathrin booked us into wonderful hotels I'd never have considered, and got us on interesting side trips. We were on the Marlborough wine tasting and cruise when we got a call letting us know our 9:30 ferry to Wellington had been canceled. Kathrin quickly got us on an earlier trip with a different cruise line. That alone was worth the extra having an agent cost. We had to get up early, but that was so much better than missing a day in Wellington and our trip to Weta Workshop. Another couple on the cruise were supposed to take the same ferry. They got no notification at all, and the last we saw of them, were still trying to book a ferry. So a big thumbs up to Kathrin.

You don't have to just accept kimkim's suggested itinerary. We swapped a trip to Willowbank Animal Sanctury for the suggested whale watching, and booked a suburban B&B near Zealandia instead of staying at a downtown Wellington hotel.

Highlights of the trip were seeing glow worms in Te Anau, the native birds on Kapiti Island, Weta Workshop, Zealandia, and the Hobbiton movie set. We came home with nearly 6,000 photos. We tried to photograph as many of the native birds as possible.

Don't let the no photography rule scare you away from the Te Anau glow worm cave. You can't get a good photo on a tour anyway. Just enjoy the view.

Milford and Doubtful Sound were pretty, but we didn't see them at their best. We hit a freak rainless period, so the smaller waterfalls and mist weren't there. If you like wildlife, stop at the Te Anau bird sanctuary. The DOC removed some of the birds, but they still have takehe. We took the path along the water and saw several small song birds.

Dunedin was the one bad spot. We got back from the overnight Doubtful Sound Cruise (where they treat you like royalty and the food is delicious and plentiful) about 12:30. By the time we battled the traffic and got to our downtown hotel, it was too late to see anything. On the plus side, we had a fabulous room with a washer and dryer.
We skipped the Otago Peninsula in favor of the Moeraki boulders, arriving about 7 am. We got all the photos we wanted before busloads of tourists arrived and climbed all over the rocks.

Christchurch was lovely. We rode the tram to the Botanic Gardens, where I regreted not taking a zoom lens to photograph the birds. The next day we took the train to Arthur's Pass. The food on the train was excellent, and we enjoyed hiking.

On the way to Blenheim, we visited Willowbanks. It's small but well designed, with a nice assortment of animals. They have heritage farm animals and native New Zealand animals. We didn't manage to see a kea in Fiordland, but saw several there, as well as 3 kiwis.

We did the aforementioned wine tasting and cruise in Blenheim.

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Weta Workshop in Wellington. Our second day we took the cable car up and walked back through the gardens. Since we were there at 7:30, parking was no problem. We arrived at Zealandia by 9:30. It's a large predator free park in the middle of Wellington. We were struck by the lack of birdsong in New Zealand. Imported predators have nearly wiped out the birds. Zealandia was full of song.

Kapiti Island was even better. The birds were almost deafening, and because they live on a predator free island and are never hunted, they were fairly easy to photograph. We spent the morning in the older reforested area. In midafternoon we moved to the other side, where the lodge and cabins are located. We made the mistake of hiking the Boulder Beach trail. It had just reopened, so maybe we saw it at its worst. The first part is easy. Then you hit rocks and driftwood, and no trail markers. We finally turned around and went back.
The people who run the lodge are so kind. The food was delicious.
That night we did a red light walk and saw two kiwis. We slept in a glamping tent with a fabulous view.

By Tongariro Park we were wearing out. Luckily we stayed at the River Lodge, a beautiful old hose out in the country. Daniel, the landlord, must be the busiest man on earth. He's very outgoing and cheerful, and makes a great breakfast.
We had a nice view of Mt. Ruapehu from the balcony, and walked along the river photographing birds. We did a little hiking to see waterfalls.

We went to the two Waitomo caves that allow photography. One is a small limestone cave with nice formations. The other, Ruakuri has a little of everything; formations, glow worms, and plain walls.

Our last stop was Hobbiton. Depending on what you prefer, the light is better for photography in early morning. We opted for the nightly banquet, where you get 4.5 hours instead of 2.5, and get to see the buildings lit up at night. The food is great, but try to sit at the end of a table. Most of the food is placed there, and at least at our table, nobody passed it around. We had to stay an extra day to get banquet tickets, and it was so worth it. The perfect end to a perfect trip.

This was my first trip to Chile, and thanks to kimkim's assistance, the experience far exceeded my expectations. Lorena helped us with the planning, and especially our local guide in Puerto Natales—Jose—was truly outstanding. Every single day's itinerary was excellent; the nature, the people, and the food in Chile were all even more magnificent than I had imagined.