Kimkim Trip Reviews

We opted for a custom tour with KimKim. Samir was our online contact; Mohammed was our driver for the week. Both made our trip to Jordan one of the books. Highly recommend them.

Samir was responsive (got back to us within a few hours) and patient with our various requests and preferences (it took us about two months on and off to finalize our trip). Mohammed was engaging, informative, and just as patient with us on the road; we never felt rushed with him.

Our week-long itinerary involved time in Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea. Samir finetuned our itinerary to our preferences, always answering our questions and making changes for our review without hesitation. We rarely travel the “meet us with a sign and take us around” style, but we did for this trip and all details were handled for us: hotel check-ins, guide intros, and excursion tickets. We didn’t have a single hiccup in 6 days and 650 miles of driving (even when we were late by an hour one morning).

We didn’t need the fanciest hotels as we planned to be out and about during our short week in Jordan. We wanted close proximity to attractions and Samir honored our wishes even if he thought other hotels would have been more comfortable, which we appreciated. In Amman, the Art Hotel is 3-star, so manage your expectations. It’s in the heart of King Faisal Square and close to the downtown attractions. Staff was always pleasant. For Petra, we stayed at the Petra Palace Hotel in Wadi Musa, which was a bit dated but offered amenities such as two pools, spa with massage, full-service bar, and breakfast. It was within walking distance to Petra and we would stay there again even if it isn’t the shiniest hotel (we woke up late another morning and got to breakfast at closing, but they still set us up with a table by one of the pools). Our splurge was a Martian tent in Wadi Rum at Mayazen Rum Camp. We had all the modern amenities: AC, nonstop running hot water, and even an outdoor hot tub. We even got to see sunrise from our bed through the panoramic window. The staff was also pleasant and attentive. The restaurant served good traditional and foreign food; we always had more than we could eat.

Amman is a lively city with a lot to see and do from tourist sites to restaurants, cafes, and shops. We love a good shisha when in the Middle East and Amman had two great options at Faisal Cafe and Nara Cafe. We wish we had more time there. Petra is a bit touristy and the local vendors can take away from the experience, but it is hard to deny its allure. We went to Petra at Night and despite mixed reviews, we recommend going. How often can you walk The Siq at night underneath the moon and stars? Check out Old Street Cafe on a side street off Tourism St, excellent food and service. The Dead Sea is a must do, but we went in early September and it was hot (100 degrees - the air temperature, not the water). Hope you’re lucky and a tour bus (or several) don’t arrive at the same time you are there. The surge of people all trying to get their floating pictures can get annoying, but fortunately for us, it was too hot out for most people. Still, where else can you float without even trying? Wadi Rum was our favorite stop. We stayed two nights and did a sunset 4x4 tour and a 1/2-day 4x4 tour… two different experiences you should have. We also opted for a sunset camel ride for our last night and it was surreal to cross the red sands of the Wadi Rum with the landscape on the horizon. We appreciated how beautiful, and peaceful, our planet can be. All of this arranged through KimKim.

Thank you, KimKim, Samir, and Mohammed!

What a great trip! Chhewang took care of every detail and made good suggestions. When there was an issue with a hotel, he rectified it immediately. I highly recommend using Chhewang to help plan your Nepal trip.

Connie Campos is awesome! She helped me plan and execute the most amazing trip. I loved all of the hotels we stayed at. I think my 7 year old grandson liked the Crown Metropol in Perth, with its grand lobby with the glass elevators, the best. All of the tours we went on were awesome: starting in Sydney with the bus trip around town the the private boat trip and lunch around the harbor (iDavid and Jason were splendid), in Uluru we met Silvia, she told us many stories of the Aboriginal people, I’m Perth the Rottness trip was so interesting and quokkas are so cute the Pinnacle ms Star gazing trip was very unique and interesting, in Darwin our guides to Litchfield were zTess and Greg, they gave Amy’s an awesome day that took us to the highlights of the park and pro us with a lovely vegetarian meal, next in Cairns we had a lovely outing to Kuranda and got pictures with Liz, a two year old koala. I think the best of all was the trip to the Great Barrier Reef with Down Under Cruise and Dive. The crew was awesome. Of special note was one of the rescue swimmers, Kanani, took special interest in my 7 year old grandson. A few days before we left on our trip he fractured his elbow, so his arm was in a cast to his shoulder. I wrapped it in a big ziplock bag and taped it, so it wouldn’t get wet. Kanani took Hunter on two private snorkeling tours around the reef. She was so cool.
New Zealand was so kick back Sky City was so fun. We had the family room that was huge and spacious. In Rotorua, On the Point, we had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath villa. The entire property was amazing, so very relaxing.
Back to Connie, she has a friend, that lives in Darwin, and it just so happened that at that time in our trip, it was time to have my grandson’s arm checked out. Do the two of them worked together to get an appointment set for my grandson to see a doctor. I can’t express how grateful I am for this going the extra mile service.
I think that it is evident that I am more than pleased with Connie and all the people I met on this Australian and New Zealand vacation.

Hotel Reviews

On The Point

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SkyCity Hotel

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystalbrook Riley

Cairns

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mantra on the Esplanade

Darwin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crown Metropol Perth

Perth

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rendezvous Hotel Sydney The Rocks

The Rocks

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waimangu Valley Nature Walk & Lake Rotomahana Boat Cruise

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Hobbiton (Rotorua Return)

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

I’m

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Marine World Outer Great Barrier Reef

Australia

Down Under Cruise and Dive crew were very helpful and kind.

Quality of Experience

P

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Kuranda Rail & Skyrail - Gold Class

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Cairns

Cairns

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Indigenous Litchfield Spectacular

Darwin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Darwin

Darwin

Rottnest Island Day Trip

Perth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise

Sydney

David and Jason were awesome!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pinnacles Sunset & Stargazing Trip with Dinner

Perth

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Madrid Winery Tour was wonderful. The guide we had (sorry don't remember his name) was very knowledgeable about the 3 wineries we visited and seemed to have a great relationship with the owners & key employees working them. Having experienced a Tuscan Winery Tour in the fall of 2015, I wasn't sure how this tour would compare! It was wonderful! I especially enjoyed touring the winery that utilized the clay vats (oldest in Spain). My only criticism of the tours would be the inability of the owners and staff of the wineries to speak English and engage in conversation/questions with our tour group. I would also recommend that the size of the tour group be no larger than the number we had in ours. Someone with limited mobility would not be able to explore/experience the cellars and tight confines of some areas in the tours. I hope you communicate this to individuals who are contemplating signing up for the wineries tour. (I can't remember if you ask about mobility challenges when you are getting to know your clients and arranging the tour package). Please note our family had no problems with this.
Prada Museum and Botin Lunch was one of my favorites on the tour. As a foodie I looked forward to lunch at the oldest restaurant in the world! The day started with the museum tour which was very informative. Our tour guide (don't remember her name) was extremely knowledgeable and had a great sense of humour that added to the enjoyment of exploring the museum and then hosting/entertaining our group at lunch. The tour and food at Botin was magnificent! I especially enjoyed the cheesecake that our guide was emphatic we save room for! It was the best I've ever eaten and will be what I compare all future cheesecakes to!!! The Rioja wine served with the meal was also wonderful and is now one of my favorites to enjoy and bring back memories of Spain. Again the walk from the Museum to Botin and the ability to tour the cellar and then get up the narrow staircase and manipulate the tight table seatings to get to our table would be difficult for those experiencing mobility issues.
My favorite experience was the market tour and cooking class in Barcelona. Our tour guide/chef extraordinaire (I don't remember her name) was fantastic. The market was amazing! You could spend a whole day exploring all the different vendor stalls. The cooking class was entertaining and informative. It was well thought out in terms of participatory activities including the preparation of the foods, group interaction (switching up cooking partners and food prep) and then sharing what we had created in the end. Best Paella ever! Again Rioja was paired with the 4 course meal that we prepared. To access the cooking class kitchens you have to climb a narrow staircase. Again would be difficult for someone with mobility issues.
Park Güell and La Sagrada Familia was also a hi-lite for me. Not only was Antoni Gaudi an talented architect but an artist and genius in his designs. I especially loved the park as a seasoned gardener looking for ways to improve my piece of paradise (yard). He was born in the wrong era with his propensity for recycling! I knew nothing about Gaudi before Adam suggested this tour and was thinking it was just "another Church tour"! Boy was I wrong! I would highly recommend this for anyone planning a trip to Barcelona. Having talked to others, it's highly likely ticket sales to this tour sell out in advance and you'll miss out on these "iconic landmarks". Our tour guide (can't remember her name) was very knowledgeable and engaging. She spoke fluid English (and 3 other languages) and was easy to understand. The park portion of the tour is tricky to manipulate without the right shoes due to cobblestone surfaces and pathways even in good weather conditions. Anyone with mobility issues will be challenged or excluded (one person was) from this portion of the tour. The Church was awe inspiring and I look forward to a return sometime,when it is completed.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Astoria

Barcelona

This hotel was historic and nice, but there were some issues with the elevator. While it wasn't a problem for us to take the stairs, I can see this being a potential issue for guests with mobility challenges. Overall, I enjoyed the historic charm of this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Silken Al Andalus Palace

Seville

This hotel had a modern feel and was situated a bit out of the downtown area. We had to rely on buses and cabs to get around, which wasn't ideal. The hotel was right across from a soccer stadium, which would be great for sports fans. The hotel was beautiful, but I prefer a more historic location where I can walk out to local cafes. The pool hours also didn't work for us since it closed at 7pm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Posada del Peine

Madrid

The Petit Palace Posada del Peine in Madrid was a lovely place to stay. It was old yet clean, and centrally located, giving us a sense of being in the heart of the city's history. The lack of a pool wasn't an issue as there was so much to explore around the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Prado Museum & Cultural Walk with Lunch at Botín

Madrid

The visit to Prado Museum was enriching and the lunch at Botín was delightful. The restaurant was housed in a 400-year-old building, which added to its charm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Madrid Wineries

Madrid

Overall, I truly enjoyed the winery tour. The only small hiccup was that the owners of the wineries did not speak English and had to constantly translate through the guide, which somewhat dampened the experience. Nevertheless, the trip was eye-opening and the wines were fantastic. It's noteworthy that this industry is still new in Spain and they're exploring ways to enhance their tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can't begin to describe how amazing this trip was. Andrea thought of everything. He really listened to what we wanted: where we wanted to be, activities we wanted to do. He thought about and coordinated transportation, which was extremely important to us since we did not have a car. He told us the "must sees" and took care of all the details to make this trip the most memorable and romantic anniversary trip. We really enjoyed our personal guides, their knowledge of the cities they live in and love so much. The hotels were all beautiful and very accommodating. We are already thinking about and planning our next trip! Cannot recommend enough!

Hotel Reviews

Porta di Castro

Palermo

This hotel had the most friendly and accommodating staff of all. Right upon arrival, they took great care of us, gave us treats and coffee, gave us a map of the surrounding area. They upgraded our room with no additional fee. They gave the best recommendation for dinner and even made the reservation for us. The history of the building was captivating. They even gave us a souvenir when we left. Would definitely stay again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Donna Teresa

Agrigento

We were only here a night, but we felt very taken care of and were greeted in the morning with a big breakfast and lovely conversation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Baglio di Scopello

Scopello

One of our most favorite experiences was here. The grounds are absolutely beautiful: the garden, the view, the pool, the outdoor bar and lounge all were incredible. We even took home some homemade olive oil!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

This hotel was by far a favorite. Beautiful views, clean, comfortable. The staff were extremely nice and accommodating. The restaurant in the hotel was amazing, delicious and whimsical. Love!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

Very big room! The hotel was beautiful. Exactly what we needed. Very comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

There was only one instance where we were trying to rest where staff insisted to get in the room to clean, but it was not a big deal. Minor inconvenience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Raffaello Hotel Rome

Roma

Perfect location, staff were very accommodating and friendly, helped us hold our luggage and get taxis. The room was comfortable, clean, everything we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Naples guided walk

Italy

Daniella was magic! She is such an enchanting person, and we really enjoyed walking around Naples with her. She was so easy to chat with. It felt like we had been friends before. she gave the BEST pizza recommendation!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Vincenza is now one of my favorite people. I loved how much she loved her city, and she was so incredibly knowledgeable and excellent company.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Islabela

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

Authenticity & Character

Wish I could give more than 5 stars for character!

Location

Staff

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

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia

Cartagena de Indias

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

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful floorplan overlooking the pool

Location

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

Staff

Lovely staff who helped give us dinner recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Activity Reviews

Market Visit & Cooking Class

Cartagena

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Best of the trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate & Rum Tasting

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fruits of Colombia Food Tour + Gourmet Coffee Tasting

Bogotá

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Palais Tara & Spa

Marrakech

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

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

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

Warm and welcoming, attentive to your every needs

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

Personal attention , accommodating, friendly and humble

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect like a hotel, clean, neat simple.

Riad Farouzi

fes

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

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

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

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

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and accommodating, Staff very attentive

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

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

Authenticity & Character

Charm of location and staff were warm, friendly and accommodating

Location

It was in the heart of the Medina

Staff

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

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing was wrong with our room

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

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

Quality of Experience

Our guide Hicham

Guides, Drivers and Staff

You cannot escape the true humbleness of the people

Transport

Yassim!!

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

Our guide, Yassim

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide, Yassim

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

Getting to explore the kasbah

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very kind and humble

Transport

Yassim made all the difference in the world!!

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

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

A much diverse Forrest and the quietness of nature

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always ready to please , very kind

Transport

Our Guide Yassim!!

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

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

Quality of Experience

The tannery and tile co-op factory

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The willingness to please; merchants are respectful

Transport

Great guide Sayeed.

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

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always humble and welcoming

Transport

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

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

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

Quality of Experience

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Humbleness of culture, warm & welcoming

Transport

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

Rabat to Chefchaouen

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The culture is humbling, warm and friendly. welcoming

Transport

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

Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Morocco

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

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

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Clos d'Amboise

Amboise

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private guided tour to Chaumont-sur-Loire & Blois

Amboise

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

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

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Transport

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

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

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

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

Activity Reviews

Pyramids, Sphinx , Salah El Deen Citadel and Old Cairo

Cairo

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

Dinner Cruise

Cairo

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

Quality of Experience

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

Hotel Reviews

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

Paris

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

Close to everything, but tucked away too.

Staff

Every staff member we encountered went above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Hôtel Au Charme Rabelaisien

Amboise

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

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and lovely.

Location

Quick walk to Centre Ville, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saint Germain des Près Food Tour

Paris

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Combo visit of Blois Castle and the House of Magic

France

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Hotel Reviews

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bohol Beach Club

Bohol

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bluewater Maribago

Lapu-lapu City

Great breakfast, great service, and location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bohol Island Day Tour

Philippines

The tour guide is very knowledgeable about the local history.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking with fireflies

Philippines

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

Quality of Experience

Food

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cebu City and Mactan Island day tour

Philippines

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paniqui Memorial Park

Manila

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

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

Hotel Review

Widiane Suite And Spa

Bine El Ouidane

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

Authenticity & Character

Moroccan staff.

Location

Beautiful lake.

Staff

Polite, considerate, patient with directions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Activity Reviews

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

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

Day trip from Fes To Chefchaouen

Morocco

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

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

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

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

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

Explore Ouzoud Waterfalls hike for 2 hours

Marrakesh

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

Explore the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Fes

Beautiful interesting ruins, good local guide.

Essaouira Day trip: Exploring Essaouira

Morocco

Interesting walk and nice restaurant.

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

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

Quality of Experience

Food

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Transport

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

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Jorge

Antigua

Great staff and front desk. Just no fan ventilation

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Blanca Inn

Guatemala City

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Great hike, very beautiful hikes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Antigua

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

We didn't want to leave Morocco!!
Karen

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Lovely setting and accomodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ghita

Fes

Comfortable and Clean. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Lots of stairs to climb to get to bedrooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful

Location

Convenient location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Fes to Marrakech

Morocco

Long but pleasant drive

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a Local Family

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Fes

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Transport

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Beautiful Mosque!! Tour was very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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