Kimkim Trip Reviews

We worked primarily with Stephen on our trip to Scotland. From setting up the trip in the beginning we received lots of communication. They listened to what we wanted and adjusted the plans accordingly. We did have a few issues arise once we were on our trip that could have been avoided, but once we told kimkim the issues they were handled very promptly and efficiently which we were very thankful for. The customer service team while on the trip was extremely helpful for answering any questions in a very timely manner. Overall, we had a great trip and it was nice to have someone set up things for us that we would not have done on our own.

Our trip to the Atacama was fantastic! We appreciated all the interaction prior to and during the trip :)
The scenery was absolutely incredible and we enjoyed meeting lots of people from around the world. Each of our guides were lovely, full of knowledge and expertise. We would highly recommend visiting!

Hotel Review

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Authenticity & Character

Efforts to take an eco friendly approach

Location

Great central spot

Staff

Everyone was so helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cejar Lagoon, Ojos del Salar & Tebenquiche

San Pedro de Atacama

Such a beautiful tour to end our trip - fabulous experience swimming in the salt water lagoon!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

Great tour but a very early start!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Amazing guide and interesting tour Beautiful scenery and worth getting up early for!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puritama Canyon Trek

San Pedro de Atacama

Súper chilled time with our guide who was friendly with great energy Beautiful and unique scenery

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stargazing Experience

San Pedro de Atacama

This was an absolutely amazing trip - not a long drive and such a special evening. Our guide was incredible with his knowledge and thank you so much for our photograph of the night sky

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valley of the Moon Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

Enjoyed the tour with a great guide - incredible introduction to the atacama!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As a family, we recently embarked on an incredible trip to Italy over spring break, and it was truly a trip of a lifetime! We visited Rome, Naples, Florence, and Milan and saw all the major tourist attractions in each city, including attending an AC Milan soccer match. We are so grateful to our travel agent, Fabio Ilardi, for his exceptional planning, coordination, and responsiveness throughout the 10-day journey.

From the moment we landed in Florence to our final stop in Naples, every aspect of our trip was meticulously planned by our travel agent. The hotels they arranged for us were ideally located, allowing us to explore each city's highlights easily. The tickets they secured for the soccer match in Milan were fantastic, and we cheered on the team with the local fans, creating unforgettable memories.

We were in awe of the iconic landmarks in each city, from the historic ruins in Rome to the vibrant streets of Naples. Our travel agent's recommendations for local cuisine were spot on, and we indulged in delicious Italian food at every stop.

What truly set our trip apart was our travel agent's exceptional coordination and responsiveness. Their attention to detail and professionalism was evident in every aspect of our journey, and their passion for travel shone through. We felt confident and well taken care of throughout our trip, which allowed us to relax and fully immerse ourselves in the Italian culture and history.

We are immensely grateful to our travel agent for creating an unforgettable Italian adventure for our family. Their expertise and dedication to ensuring a seamless and memorable trip are truly commendable. We highly recommend their services to anyone planning a trip, and we look forward to planning future adventures with them.

Thank you, Fabio Ilardi and Italy Bespoke Tours, for making our Italy trip a dream come true!

Andre Christian and Family.

This was a fantastic trip planned and organized with Mieke. Mieke was so easy to work with. She adjusted our itinerary at least five times to make sure we saw what we were interested in the most. We started in Amsterdam the day before our tour officially began with a trip to the Rijksmusuem for the Vermeer exhibit. What a stunning show! We then walked around Amsterdam and came upon the delightful Albert Cuyp Market. We ended our exhausting travel day with a gourmet meal at De Kaas. This is a gorgeous restaurant set in its own gardens. There even was a stork next with parents outside the window!. We were able to follow Mieke's instructions to get back to Haarlem by public transportation.

The Boutique Staats was a lovely, old, boutique hotel with a delicious breakfast. Our rooms on the top floor were very small; I believe the rooms on the lower floors had very high ceilings and were better. The beds were super comfortable and the location was very good.

Highlights of the rest of the tour included the private canal ride to Amsterdam. We loved our captain. Caroline met us for a private tour of the Van Gogh museum - she was great, navigating us to the most important parts of the museum and educating us on Van Gogh's fascinating life. We were especially delighted with the trip to the Poldertuin gardens in Anna Paolowna. This is smaller and more accessible than Keukenhof and almost as gorgeous. The flower mosaics throughout the town were less impressive than I had imagined, but were fun to see. The auction house was fascinating. We didn't see an actual auction but did see the hundreds if not thousands of carts of flower being driven around for delivery to buyers.
Keukenhof was stupendous. Fully in bloom and almost too beautiful to describe. Our driver, Marten, also took us to a private flower bulb farm with rows and rows of tulips in bloom.
Haarlem was an excellent base for day trips and for dining at night. The restaurants were quite good. Plan well ahead, though, for many of them as they fill quickly during the high season.
Our driver Marten was excellent. Always on time and cheerful.

This trip was organized by my daughter with KimKim. I enjoyed the trip thoroughly and I sense the joy and opening up from my family members as well. The trip brought us to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo to experience the different aspects of Japan. The Osaka city life and food, the religious and cultural aspects, the hotspring and nature (flowers, parks, mountains), the complex efficient transport network, unforgettable crammed hotel rooms, the demeanor of Japanese, the theme parks and Japan commercial products. There is also the interesting spring weather to experience in different locations from cold street weathers, gale in the mountain top, icy cold in Mount Fuji, beautiful sunset in a cherry blossom village Oshino Hakkai. The personal local guide and local transport driver add a touch of freedom and enjoy and experience Japan in a deeper manner. It seems to be costlier compared to the Japan trips made by others but the ability to experience so much in a 10 day trip make this a wonderful trip for me.

Not everything was perfect. Example, the driver came 30mins earlier than expected; the local guide detail was provided a little late than what we would be comfortable; an easier way to understand the complex Japan transport system which to be frank I doubt is very very hard. I like to think the imperfectness is what spices up also the trip in a different manner.

This is the second time I used KimKim for my family holiday. Kudos to them, I am glad to say that they have again done a nice trip for me and my family.

Overall, we had a wonderful experience planning our Greece vacation through kimkim. The entire process, from the initial introduction call, to the connection made to our local specialist Ioannis who guided us through all our options, to the flexibility in adjustment our upfront payment schedules, everything was professional and top notch.

Once we were able to share the types of things we were interested in doing across our two families traveling together, Ioannis was able to suggest great options for us to choose from. This included village excursions, cooking tours, luxury catamaran rides etc. Overall, his guidance was really helpful in allowing us to make great choices.

For all the tours that we went on (4 organized ones in total), the local guides were absolutely excellent. All of them spoke great English, gave us a great background in Greek history, exposed us to "local/ traditional" adventures, and really made the trip memorable.

The hotel selections were also great, with good breakfast options every morning, and convenient locations. In the one hotel where the first room we were offered wasn't that great, we got in touch with Ioannis to explain the situation. Ioannis was on this instantly, coordinating directly with the hotel and making sure that we were upgraded to better quality two room as no additional costs! This was really appreciated by us!

Overall, this was very memorable and we intend to use kimkim in the future!

We just had the most phenomenal trip in Morocco with the help of KimKim and our driver - Samir from Original Travel.

Morocco is a unique destination and Samir made our experience extra special. It is a vast country and therefore you will spend a lot of time traveling in a car which means your driver can make or break your trip. We couldn't be happier with our driver Samir, who took care of us, and ensured that we have the opportunity to experience the real culture of Morocco by arranging unique experiences for us like eating with a local family near Volubilis, and a phenomenal local guide the incredible Muhamad in the Dades Valley who invited us to his house where we had homemade Tagin to name just a few.

We were also so impressed with the way he and Ali dealt with issues when they arose to ensure that we have a wonderful time.

If you are planning a trip to Morocco, make sure you take the time to come to the Sahara and stay in Tiziri Camp in Merzouga. This was our absolute highlight. An eco camp, run by local Berbers, offered a unique and highly tailored experience for us, one that we will savor for many years to come.

We enlisted the help of Deb and the Kim Kim team to help us organize a whistle stop trip to S. Africa and Zimbabwe. We only had 10 days so needed help getting the most out of our limited time.
We were so impressed with the level of communication throughout the planning process and whilst on the trip itself. Some great dinner spots and additional activities were suggested which made a huge difference to our experience. It was also great to be given a variety of accommodation options which we could select to best suit our budget.
All transfers and activities ran like clockwork and took the worry out of traveling in a new country with kids. Every guide we came across was exceptionally knowledgeable and professional.
We would definitely use the Kim Kim service again and wholeheartedly recommend Deb and her team for anyone considering a trip to S. Africa. Thank you for the most amazing holiday - we didn’t want to come home!

Hotel Reviews

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa - Kasane

Chobe, Kasane

Authenticity & Character

The isolation of this place was quite special - we loved the open air dining areas and viewing deck and of course the thatched roof.

Location

It took 3 border crossings to reach this lodge but it actually added to the experience. Loved that it was only accessible by river.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super big beds!

The Capital On The Park

Sandton

Authenticity & Character

A big hotel with a great pool area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the shopping mall.

Location

Close to the shopping mall.

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A great 2 bed apartment for our final night.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A great 2 bed apartment for our final night.

Phezulu Guest Lodge

Victoria Falls

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lovely quiet location but it was easy to organise taxis.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Sun De Wagen

Stellenbosch

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms/ beds needed to be bigger!

Parker Cottage

Cape Town

This was a holiday highlight for us. Tomas and his team and the accommodation was exceptional - a home away from home and a blissful sanctuary after a busy day sightseeing. Outstanding!

Authenticity & Character

A beautiful old heritage villa.

Location

A safe walking distance to restaurants in the area and close proximity to Table Mountain and the Waterfront.

Staff

Great advice and super friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Last morning at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

We actually saw very little wildlife on the morning safari. We ended up watching a troop of baboons for ages. The river ride and sunset was perfect though.

Quality of Experience

Food

N/a

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe National Park

We crossed 3 borders to get here. This sounds overwhelming but each crossing was slick and efficient and we were directed by the driver on where to go. It added to the whole experience. The river ride to the lodge was beautiful - we spotted lion, hippos and elephants. It was nice to be offered a cold drink on board.

Quality of Experience

Food

N/a

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dusty Road Township Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

Loved the little tour that you get upon entry. Great atmosphere and loved the community aspect of this place and the focus on sustainability.

Quality of Experience

Food

The authenticity. Some of the dishes took me back to my own time living in Africa.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took our own taxi and paid more than we were told to pay.

Guided Tour of Vic Falls

Victoria Falls

What’s not to like? The Falls are breathtaking!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gourmet Dinner on a Sunset Cruise

Victoria Falls

This was outstanding! It was stunning scenery on the Zambezi and we saw our first hippo! The 4 course meal was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

The additional drumming workshop was well worth it. We all loved it! It was great to taste various dishes from around the continent and to watch the dancing/ entertainment. This was definitely a very touristy activity but something I would recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Authentic and rustic - some dishes were really tasty, some were more interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robben Island

Cape Town

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. We had an amazing guide on the bus around the island and a former inmate for the prison tour. Very interesting and humbling. It was quite a big group and sometimes hard to follow what was being said when we were off the bus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

We had a friendly and experienced guide. We loved the penguins, haggling with the street vendors and the views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Table Mountain

South Africa

We loved this trip! We headed straight here after checking in at our accommodation. We took a later cable car up to catch the sunset. It was super quiet and the sunset/ views were beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding in the Winelands

South Africa

My kids loved this activity! It was an amazing setting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael from Chaska tours proposed an excellent itinerary and was attentive to our wishes and needs during the planning phase, and was very patient with our endless questions. When our arrival flight was delayed by a day, Michael rescheduled our affected tours more than once providing us peace of mind during airport chaos. When one service didn't work out as planned, Michael promptly arranged a refund. We truly enjoyed the personal and in-depth experience of all the tours and transportation.
Our tour guides Jauren, Joker, Sandra, and Jamie were fabulous and spoke good English. It was amazing to tour a coffee farm with a 5th generation local who grew up and worked there. Touring through the forest and archaeological site by someone who is clearly committed to the preservation of native fauna, flora and peoples was captivating even for the teenagers in our group. I can't say enough about this service and our visit to the country of Colombia. Cartagena is historic and charming, the area around Tayrona Park is beautiful. Hotels were clean and comfortable, the food was delicious and not expensive. The people we met were gracious and welcoming. Everything about our trip went great and we're looking forward to using this service to plan our next family vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel El Prado

Barranquilla

It's an older hotel, very large, historic. Staff was very helpful. The breakfast was spectacular.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Watapuy

Santa Marta

Wonderful resort style hotel in a natural setting. You can walk to Tayrona Park from here. The staff is helpful, the restaurant is great. The cabins are peaceful and large. Book it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa La Fe

Cartagena de Indias

We had adjoining family rooms on the street side with balconies. These are fabulous rooms. The breakfast was made to order from a menu with many selections. The rooftop pool and bar are fun, the views delightful. Many nearby restaurants to choose from. The staff was helpful and wonderful. Would totally stay at this hotel again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Our guide Joker was funny and great! Food was excellent, it was fun to walk to various parts of the old city to try different things.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A really - we were walking :)

Reda was excellent very kind, respectful, appropriate and a good driver ❤️ him!

We understood we had a guide but he was more a driver and couldn’t come in to the ferry terminal to pick us up, that was very confusing for us another guide helped us. We love the camping trip & Marrakesh.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Wow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inara Desert Camp

Marrakech

Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Lovely people but the accommodation was in need of repair.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Sightseeing in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn’t have any food?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Rabat to Marrakech

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Hercules caves

Tangier

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We only had a driver, Reda

Transport

Pura Vida!

This was a once in a lifetime trip for our group of friends to be able to take together and using Serendipity Adventures with the help of Bryan Leon made our trip the best we all have ever experienced.

Bryan was very helpful and quick to respond to all of our questions and concerns. And the whole team at Serenity Adventures were very attentive and helped to fix any issues we had.

We did a 7 day tour through multiple cities in Costa Rica with 1-2 excursions almost every day. We were able to enjoy all our transports, meals, and excursions set up by the company without any issues. And if we did have any problems, we were easily able to contact the travel agency at any time.

Overall, this trip was wonderful for each and every one of us because we were able to use Bryan’s help to customize each day to our liking from meal accommodations, to different hotels and excursions that better suited our wants and needs.

I would highly recommend using Serendipity Adventures for your next Costa Rica trip for the best experience possible!

Hotel Reviews

The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa

Playa Conchal

This was one of the best all inclusive resorts we have ever stayed at. The beach front property was perfect and the water was amazing. The food and drinks here were the best I have had in a resort type setting. They whole staff was very accommodating and everyone was so attentive and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

This hotel was a very lovely hotel. Rooms and bathrooms were spacious and breakfast was amazing! Views and wildlife were a huge plus!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Beautiful hotel, food was amazing and service was wonderful! I can’t wait to go back!

Authenticity & Character

Cute hotel property, beautiful wildlife

Location

Perfect volcano views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

This was a well-organized and safe experience, with sturdy equipment and experienced guides. The company had clearly been doing this for a long time, and we felt secure throughout the adventure

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike

Monteverde

This was a nice hike, but it felt repetitive after the previous day's tour. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and we saw many animals like birds, monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

This tour was interesting and full of bugs and critters. We saw snakes, tarantulas, and other creatures. It was a unique experience, but not for those who are squeamish around bugs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

This was a fun experience, but we felt rushed toward the end due to having to go on a guided night tour immediately after. We could have used an extra 30-40 minutes at the coffee farm to fully enjoy the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mambo Combo: Canyoning and Rafting

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a thrilling experience, especially for those who had never done it before. The tour guides were very helpful and instilled confidence in everyone. The adventure included rappelling down waterfalls and mountains, as well as ziplining. The whitewater rafting was more on the mellow side, which was perfect for me. The guides were great, and the two different tour companies communicated well to ensure a smooth transition between activities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was very helpful and attentive! We saw monkeys, snakes, and a sloth with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an amazing week!

Margoth helped us put together a fantastic, varied 8-day sampling of Colombia, starting in Bogotá and the surrounding Andean Highlands, making a quick detour to the Coffee Region, and ending with some (relatively) relaxed days on the Caribbean Coast.

We really enjoyed all the different experiences, from the unique, remote, soaking wet landscape of the páramos, to the hot, bustling streets of Cartagena, and ending with a blissful day on Isla Barú.

We had Byron as our guide for our first four days, touring Bogotá and the surrounding area. He was absolutely brilliant — knowledgeable, friendly, and professional from the first minute to the last.

Our favorite excursion was the Chorrera waterfall hike, a fun adventure with Byron which took us through some of the most beautiful countryside we have ever seen.

The cooking class at Sazagua was also wonderful, even though by that time we were exhausted -- the chef was quite the character, and kept us laughing as we made some delicious food which I will be attempting to recreate at home!

The rum tasting in Cartagena was a really fun way to start off the more relaxing third of our trip, and the tropical fruit tasting also surpassed our expectations. I have a lot of allergies, and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to participate very much, but with Margoth’s help, the staff at Oh La La went way out of their way to accommodate me and make things fun for both of us.

Our guides in the Coffee Region and in Cartagena were also competent and professional, if less fantastic than Byron. In particular, our Coffee Region guide was quite negative about the Cocora Valley, and while we were interested and saddened to learn that most of the famous wax palms are slowly dying (and cannot be replaced due to the removal of the surrounding forest to make way for agriculture), his overall disparagement of tourism in the area was depressing, surprising to hear from a tour guide, and even seemed hypocritical considering that he was contributing to erosion in the park by walking on the grassy slopes instead of the step paths. He did perk up some while showing us Filandia and teaching us about the local coffee, which are clearly his preferred activities.

Our drivers throughout the trip were all skillful and professional, and most were also very friendly, sometimes feeling like extra guides. I especially enjoyed chatting with Alexander in the Coffee Region, Johannis (sp? Our driver to Chingaza), and the driver who took us to our hotel in Cartagena (whoops, forgot his name), and we were impressed with the way Edwin skillfully handled some mechanical problems on the way back from Chorrera.

We were initially a bit nervous to travel to Colombia after growing up hearing bad things in the news, which was part of the reason we decided to use a tour company, even though I am usually an independent traveler. In the end we felt safe throughout the trip and it went very well, but when a few things did go wrong (a bit of altitude sickness, the aforementioned car trouble), Margoth and her team were so responsive and got things right back on track. We felt very taken care of and were able to spend our time enjoying instead of stressing or worrying about details. I am now considering going through Kimkim again for future trips.

We were very impressed with Colombia as a country and with Aracanto as a tour company, and would highly recommend both to anyone looking for a South American adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique las Carretas

Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar

This was a great find, with a fantastic location, a small pool, a great breakfast, etc — and the staff were so helpful and kind (when my friend wasn’t feeling well one morning, they made her a special soup for breakfast!) Excellent experience and value, but I do recommend bringing earplugs as it got a bit noisy at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

Lovely beach resort. The swimming area is a bit small and they close both the beach and the pools right at sunset, a bit early for my taste. It can be a bit of a hike from your room to the lobby and restaurants, but for check in and check out they bring you and your luggage on a golf cart.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Sazagua

Pereira

Really lovely hotel. We loved our cooking class and watching the birds at breakfast. This wouldn’t be the best place to stay for someone afraid of dogs, as several (big, friendly) live on site… then again, Colombia wouldn’t be the best country for someone afraid of dogs.

Authenticity & Character

Felt family run and friendly

Location

Near the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great showers

Residence Inn Bogotá

Bogotá

Great place to ‘land’ in Colombia. The rooms were spacious and the breakfast was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The breakfast staff was great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I loved the spacious, well laid out room.

Activity Reviews

Walking tour Cartagena and short Fruit Tasting

Cartagena

Nice informative walking tour of the old town, I learned a lot about the history of the area and the meaning of the knockers on the doors. It was super hot up on the old city walls, so we stopped for refreshments before continuing to the fruit tasting. I was worried I wouldn't be able to participate much in the fruit tasting due to my allergies, but they went above and beyond to accommodate me. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to due to the friendly staff and the experience of seeing and tasting so many different things. The last part of the tour took us through some of the street art of Getsemani, which was also cool to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dinner Reservation at Candé (live music)

Cartagena

This is a very lively restaurant with live performances. The food was very good as well. It was on the louder side for my taste and was a bit of a confusing wait to get drinks and seats.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rum Tasting with Chocolate Pairing

Cartagena

A fantastic start to our time in Cartagena. We got to try 8 very different rums, and the bartender was very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Cooking Class and Dinner

Colombia

This was really fun. We were worried about cooking since we were tired after five busy days of touristing, but the chef kept us laughing the whole time. The dish we made was a delicious chicken dish somewhere between a risotto and a curry. I will definitely be making it again at home with the recipe, spices, and pot we were gifted!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cocora Valley, Salento, and Filandia Coffee Town

Colombia

The sites were beautiful, but this wasn't the best experience of the trip, partially because we were exhausted, partially because the trip was a little rushed due to delays after our plane came in late the night before, and partly because our guide wasn't very excited about Cocora Valley -- it's clear he goes there too often and thinks tourism is having a detrimental effect on the local nature, which we can understand, but it was a bit of a bummer especially when we were quite tired. The towns were very cute and we loved the overlook from Filandia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chorrera Park with Waterfall

Bogotá

This was our single favorite excursion during our trip to Colombia. The countryside was beautiful from the car and the hike, and the waterfalls themselves were spectacular. You get to go behind Chiflón, and close enough to Chorrera to feel the mighty, wet wind blowing from the cascade.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chingaza Natural National Park Tour

Bogotá

It was very cool to learn about and see this unique landscape. The drive there and back through the countryside was also beautiful. I appreciated how the team stopped whenever I wanted to take a closer look or a picture of a roadside shrine, abandoned factory, or tiny calf. If you are on the fence about which excursion(s) to take from Bogotá, I would prioritize Chorrera and Guatavita over this one (especially because you can see a little bit of the páramo landscape on those tours as well), but if you have time, it is great to see these Andean wetlands and the unique forms of vegetation that thrive here.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was a picnic lunch with simple sandwiches, but I enjoyed going to a supermarket to buy the ingredients, and the chicharrones and guava candies gave it a local touch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at El Cielo - Please confirm on your side

Colombia

It was a lovely and special meal, but not the best I have experienced… mostly because the pacing was a little off especially at the beginning (three times, we had just put the food in our mouths, with no chance to savor or discuss it, and they were already whisking it away and describing the next thing… and yet the whole experience still took over two hours). The reservation process was also rather bizarre, and they didn’t seem to understand the recommended procedure of calling a cab for us (eventually, and awkwardly, they called us an Uber). Still, I very much enjoyed washing my hands with chocolate and watching the flaming brandy at the next table over, and several of the courses were both creative and uniquely delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day City Tour of Bogotá

Bogotá

We saw the highlights of the Gold Museum and explored the pretty neighborhood of Candelaria and busy Bolivar Square. Our guide, Byron, was very knowledgeable. Unfortunately, because of spending the morning in Usaquén, we were a bit rushed and did not have time to go up to Monserrate, but the weather was not great for a view anyway.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Usaquén Stop with transportation and Chocolate Workshop

Bogotá

This was a lovely way to spend our morning in Bogotá. Usaquén is a cute area and we quite enjoyed shopping at the flea market, though I could have spent even more time there. At the chocolate tasting, we learned a lot about how chocolate is made and how the terrain and the process contribute to its flavor profile. I also got to try the famous local snack of chocolate and cheese!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral and Guatavita Lake Tour

Bogotá

We loved this tour for our first day in Colombia. There was a fair amount of driving, but we enjoyed seeing the countryside along the way. During the short hike to the lake we learned a lot about the Muisca people, the history of exploitation by Europeans, and the local plants. Our guide Byron was knowledgeable about everything! We had a quick lunch at a local bakery, and then it was off to Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, which was really unique and cool. I was astonished to learn that it is still a working salt mine in addition to an active church!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

Very smooth pick up at the airport and drop off at the hotel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Harry Sasson

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Excellent tomato soup

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helena was an amazing trip specialist. She provided us with so many options and ideas, and helped us to finalize what we wanted/did not want to do, as well as answer any questions or comments we had. There is no other way to describe our trip other than perfect! The private transfers, hotels, and locations were all perfect for what we needed! I will definitely use KimKim again for our next future trip, as well as continue to recommend to friends and family :) All we had to do was book our flights and make some dinner reservations. Couldn't have been easier! Las casas de juderia was an amazing hotel we stayed at, truly breathtaking. A great way to end our trip.

Our family vacation to Morocco was amazing! Said and Abdellatif were very professional and helpful during the whole process. They catered to our requests right away, and were very understanding of any changes to the trip last minute.

Our driver, Mohamed Hammami, was wonderful! He was always prompt, professional, and an incredibly safe driver. We reached all of our destinations on time and had nice conversations along the way.

Each tour guide was very informative and helpful in our navigation of each city. We learned a lot about the history of Morocco and enjoyed spending time with each guide.

I had a really great experience planning and booking this trip for my family. Alvaro was great - very patient, accommodating, and willing to revise the trip a number of times based on our requirements. However, our experience on the trip was not great. According to our trip plan, a guide was supposed to meet us at the Baltra airport in the Galapagos and help us navigate from the airport, onto a bus, onto a ferry to Santa Cruz island, take us to our hotel and help us get to our afternoon activity. The guide did not meet us. Cell coverage in the Galapagos is very poor, so we were basically stranded trying to figure this all out on our own. When we finally connected with Alvaro, he told me that he did not know why the guide didn't meet us and that "this never happens." Not particularly helpful. The woman who finally met us at our hotel in Santa Cruz provided no explanation about what had happened and where our guide was. Also, she did not speak any English. That was fine because we speak Spanish, but it would have been a problem if we did not. On the last day of our trip, we were returning to Santa Cruz from Isabela Island and, again, a guide was supposed to meet us on Santa Cruz (which I confirmed several times in advance) and no one met us. Ultimately, the Galapagos-based tour operator refunded us $110 for the missing guides. I do not think that was enough of a refund for the inflated cost of the trip or for our stress and inconvenience. I would not recommend booking with KimKim. There seems to be a major disconnect between KimKim and the Galapagos-based tour operators. We spent a lot of time on our trip dealing with coordination and logistics and stressing out about the next steps in our itinerary. It was disappointing.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Loja Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

The owners/operators of this hotel were really helpful and kind.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

This was a great hotel! Good location, awesome pool, very comfortable and nice rooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Posada del Mar

Santa Cruz

We had a lot of trouble with our tour operator and the hotel owner went above and beyond to try to help us and make our experience better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Sebastian was a great guide! Very friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island - Flight back to Mainland

Galapagos Islands

Dario was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the entire experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano (AM) & Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island (PM)

Galapagos Islands

Rain was in the forecast, but the guide did not offer us the chance to turn around or change our plans. We were absolutely soaked and the clouds obscured any view we would have had. The park rangers were unhelpful and refused to help us call a taxi to come "rescue" us from the volcano.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was not looking out for our safety or comfort.

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

The guide, captain, boat staff were all excellent! The food was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

The guides were great! We enjoyed this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hola Galapagos! Arrival to Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

The guide never met us and we were stranded at Baltra airport trying to navigate the bus to the ferry to the hotel all on our own. There is very limited cell reception in the Galapagos and we weren't able to connect with anyone from KimKim to help us out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No one met us

Transport

It was an absolute pleasure planning my trip with Bea! She was extremely helpful with plenty of great ideas with places and activities to do. After I chose what I wanted, she handled all the reservations and let me know where to go to meet up for each activity. When I didn't have anything specifically scheduled, she gave me a list of highlights of what I might be interested in checking out. She handled rental cars for me and even included directions on how to get to the places I was headed to. At each city I visited, she gave me a list of many different restaurant recommendations that included their websites so I could look them over and decide where I wanted to go. While on the trip, there was a feature called "chat" so if I had any questions, I could communicate with her. It was the most comprehensive, well planned trip I have ever taken thanks to Kim Kim and Bea!

Hotel Reviews

Las Casas de la Judería

Seville

We thought it was a special hotel with a uniqueness to it that was charming. The location was good to shopping, restaurants, places we wanted to explore. The room and bathroom were pretty spacious and comfortable. It was a bit challenging to navigate the different buildings in order to reach our room. There were many food choices at breakfast that were really tasty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alfama - Lisbon Lounge Suites

Lisboa

We were originally slated to stay at this hotel, but they changed it and so this review is for Dear Lisbon-Gallery House. This was definitely our least favorite hotel. It did not feel like a particularly safe area that the hotel was located in and it wasn't really close to anything that we wanted to see or spend time at. The lobby and breakfast area were very nice but the room was not to our satisfaction. There were many stains in the carpet in our room. The breakfast had many options and were good and the hotel clerk was very helpful and sweet.

Authenticity & Character

The lobby and breakfast area were nice but the room was nothing special and the rug had many stains on it.

Location

There were many better locations to be in than this hotel.

Staff

The one clerk helped us when we needed to arrange for transportation to get to the airport at the end of our stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

We liked this hotel. It had a very nice lobby area. The location next to the beach was phenomenal. The breakfast was really good and they took your order for how you wanted your eggs so they were cooked to order which was nice. There were pretty looking pools but the outside ones were not heated so a little too cold to enjoy in April. In order to go to the old town where there were many restaurant choices, you did have to drive to in order to reach them. The room had a small kitchen area that we didn't use but if we had stayed longer, it would have been nice to have.

Authenticity & Character

I'm not sure it has a lot of character, but it was nice. To get to the outside pools was not very well marked.

Location

Really close to the beach but not close to the many restaurants in the old section of Lagos.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Zahia

Old Medina, Tangier

Loved this hotel! The staff was incredibly helpful, the hotel felt very authentic, the room was really nice. The hotel had a lovely terrace on top. It was in a great location to where we could walk around and see what was going on. I loved the courtyard feel of the place and the breakfast was really really good. Loved this one the most!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of what's going on in the old section of Tangier. The markets selling fish, meat, spices, etc... were right there and so interesting to walk around there.

Staff

Went out of their way to be helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Santa Inés

Granada

It was a very unique hotel in an excellent location to everything, easy walking distance. The hotel had a lot of charm and we had a view of the Alhambra which was spectacular. It was not just one room but also had a living room space which was really nice. I didn't love the breakfasts in the mornings.

Authenticity & Character

It's a very unique hotel with a lot of charm.

Location

Close to everything a tourist would want to see and close to restaurants

Staff

They were friendly but I didn't like that when I left the hotel each time, I'd often see one of the clerks outside the front door smoking cigarettes.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was nice to have a bigger area with an included living space.

Gran Hotel Havana

Barcelona

Location wise, it was really good. There were always taxis waiting outside the hotel which made it easy to get a ride. The hotel itself was very nice. There were many breakfast options to choose from.

Authenticity & Character

It was a big city hotel. It was nice, but not any special character to it.

Location

Mentioned above

Staff

We arrived at 10am on the first day, they couldn't seem to find us a room prior to 3pm when check in was. It would have been nice if they could have gotten us a room a bit earlier than that since we had a long trip.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was a pretty big bedroom and very clean.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

The included dinner was delicious with many choices to choose from and the entertainment was so good! Well worth it!

Quality of Experience

Food

There were enough choices to choose from and it was all delicious!

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our tour guide had a lot of information to share and showed us many of the highlights of Spain. He was very knowledgeable and had a well thought out plan of where the tour should start and end. We loved that at one point we took a break and he got us custard tarts that are customary of Portugal. We thought that was very thoughtful and fun! We also stopped at a cherry jinger place and he again got us a sample of the jinger drink. Just some really nice touches that made our time even better!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Visit of Tangier

Tangier

There was a bit of confusion at the start with the tour guide trying to take us to another place that we hadn't signed up for and that would cost more money, and that he recommended we go to Asilah the second day instead of the first, after we got through all of that, the tour guide was very knowledgeable about Tangier and spend a long time with us showing us all around. Because of the confusion, they kindly gave us a bonus of a ride on camels and that was really fun and memorable!

Quality of Experience

Well worth it to learn more about Morocco.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Asilah

Morocco

There was not much going on when we were there. It was a 2 hour drive from Tangier, not worth the money or effort.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide didn't join us, just the driver to take us there and back.

Transport

The driver did not speak any English so we couldn't ask him any questions about what we were seeing on the way to Asilah or back.

Private Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

We enjoyed learning about Seville Church and Alcazar, the Jewish Quarters and the ancient and current history of Seville. It might have been nice to include the inside of the cathedral.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Felt like a perfect show to see given where we were. The performers were wonderful and talented. Prior to the show starting, everyone was offered a drink. The chairs unfortunately were not very comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

This is such an incredible place! It needs a knowledgeable tour guide to explain it's history to fully appreciate it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He spoke English, of course, it was a bit difficult to understand him.

Privately Guided Visit of Granada City Center & Albaycin Neighborhood

Granada

It was a comprehensive tour of Granada and gave us an understanding of history. Our tour guide was great and at the end of the tour gave us some specific ideas for local restaurants to go to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

It was a favorite activity for us! It was with a small group and we all got to know each other during the four places we went to throughout the evening. We ate some great food and drinks and our tour guide gave us some background information on the places and food that made the experience even better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

The tour guide was wonderful and engaged and clearly loves Barcelona and being a tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bryan did a great job in mapping out our first trip to Costa Rica. It was an amazing experience to say the least. He certainly helped us get a flavor of the country and we are looking forward to our return!

Hotel Reviews

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

Decent hotel, clean but a little dated. It isn't really near anything and is somewhat off the beaten path. But, there are amazing views of San José from this hotel. The restaurant is just "ok."

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gaia Hotel And Reserve—Adults Only

Quepos

The hotel is dated, the rooms aren't clean and the grounds are somewhat unkempt. The restaurant serves a mediocre breakfast and I would avoid dinner or other meals -- it just isn't good at all. We also encountered our first instance of bed bugs. We didn't know until the last day that we had been terribly bitten. We addressed this with the concierge so that they could remedy the situation. Both the concierge and the manager brushed it off and told me that I must have been bitten by something else. I also sent pictures of my bites and urged them to take my statements seriously. In return, I received an email from the manager saying that it was not an issue. I would not recommend this hotel and would also suggest those choosing to stay there to check for signs of bed bugs before occupying the room. This was an overall bad experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It isn't really in walking distance to anything.

Staff

The only saving grace for our stay was Clarence. He was attentive and amazing.

Cleanliness & Comfort

If I could give this zero stars, I would.

Amor Arenal

La Fortuna, San Carlos

Absolutely amazing service, food, accommodations... amazing everything! We will stay here again. Top notch!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Flavors Cooking Experience

Manuel Antonio

Our guide and the ranch were both awesome. It was fun to pick our own produce and make our own dinner from the goods.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

A wonderful and vast experience. You can spend a couple of hours or easily an entire day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

Our guide made this trip! It was absolutely outstanding and beyond my expectations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecotermales Hotsprings

Costa Rica

The hot springs and facilities are both really nice. The food is not that great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

This was decent, but there are likely better tours with better tasting coffee and chocolate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike and included lunch were both amazing. We loved our guide and would definitely recommend this trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

the Casado at the local Soda was incredible!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, our trip to Kathmandu and Nagarkot was an amazing experience. Everything had been carefully planned and very well-spaced out regarding the scheduled activities. Our guide, Boippin, was super friendly, very knowledgeable and very responsive to our interests and preferences. Exploring the city was truly fascinating, with a variety of destinations, from buzzing markets to historical temples and palaces. Our short stay in the mountains (Nagarkot) was really restful, with the only disappointing part being the limited visibility and no view of the Himalayas. The Mystic Mountain is an amazing hotel, and the hiking possibilities in the area are endless.
I would strongly encourage anyone considering a visit to Nepal to opt for guided trips, as they seem the most efficient and safe way to see places, try local dishes and get a taste of Nepal in a limited space of time. Our guide (as well as our drivers) was excellent indeed, professional and passionate about his home land. Thank you, Sangita and team, for planning and delivering such a memorable travel experience to our family!

Our trip was based on Sumatra, Java and Bali. The organisation was impeccable, everything worked very well. We felt safe, treated well and we knew the plan well. All the guides we had were very friendly, competent and knowledgeable. We had many activities and everything was done in details. We enjoyed every single day. A special thank you to Myriam that organised an incredible trip and she has been always available and caring. This is an highly recommended trip.

My guide Oscar and driver Sandro in Bogotá were outstanding; they were always on time, as well as being patient, enthusiastic, kind, funny, interesting and willing to indulge my off-the-beaten track requests. They made me want to see more of Colombia and are full of suggestions for my next trip.