Kimkim Trip Reviews

Pura Vida!
I recently had the pleasure of working with Veronica at Kim Kim Travel Agency to plan my 6 day family vacation to Costa Rica. Planning a vacation is never easy, but Kim Kim made the process incredibly easy for me. We communicated a lot via the website allowing me to get my questions answered easily.
During our five days, we had nothing to worry about. Transportation and activities were all taken care of. In Arenal we did the hot pools and took a beautiful hike around the volcano. We also took incredible photos of the stunning waterfall and got to swim around it . The hanging bridges were also amazing!
We moved on to Manuel Antonio where we went on a private catamaran, snorkeled and swam in the ocean. We went deep sea fishing and also explored the National Park. We saw monkeys, sloths, snakes and many other things native to Costa Rica. The beach and the sunset view was amazing!
I highly recommend Kim Kim, it made my life and trip so much easier!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were great!

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

The staff was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Cruise & Snorkeling/Lunch included

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I especially appreciated that Eduardo was able to make last minute changes for us. Due to the major storm in Dec 2022, our flight from the US to Belize City was delayed one day. Thus, we had to begin our trip on Day 2 of our itinerary, instead of Day 1. Eduardo arranged for us to be picked up a day late, and got us quickly caught up to our Day 2 itinerary, which required him to adjust the pick up time for 3 drivers. Had we booked this trip on our own... we would have had a problem rearranging our pick up times. We had Pablo as our guide for the half day bike ride in Antigua and Pablo has a wonderful personality and was patient with our 12 year old. We appreciated having Pablo. Our trip didn't have any hiccups. All the drivers/guides were either on time or early and we had maybe 10 different times/days to meet up. Don't be shy about getting Eduardo's WhatsApp chat info BEFORE you depart for your trip. He'll be super responsive on WhatsApp.

Hotel Reviews

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

For some reason, our hotel room did not have hot water. And for the bed, we each got one sheet as the cover. And the windows actually didn't close all the way. It was December and we all had to sleep in our street clothes and I had to use my jacket as my cover. Just make sure you have warm PJs and a warm coat to cover yourself, and probably skip the shower until your next hotel.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Having hot water in the shower. Having a bedcover on the bed, and not just one thin sheet as the cover.

Hotel San Jorge

Antigua

This one looked okay from the outside, but inside the room, it was really old. Bed was uncomfortable, sheets were clean, but the blanket and bed cover were old and worn. They need to replace all their beds and beddings. The towels were nice though. The location was very convenient. The breakfast was kinda sad. The staff were lovely, but the breakfast was just so so.

Location

Close to downtown.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They should consider replacing all their beds and bed covers. When you go to a hotel, you just want to sleep comfortably.

Jan's Hotel

Caye Caulker

Surprisingly, this hotel was simple, yet just right. The beds were comfortable, the shower was strong and the staff was helpful. We got picked up by a staff from the Ferry and he was helpful.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramon's Village Resort

San Pedro

This was a nice resort. There was a restaurant onsite, and there's also a pier onsite where you can book any water activities (fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving) when you are there so you don't have to worry about booking months in advance for the activities. We booked a half day fishing trip and a fisherman (Tino) picked us up in a boat and took us to maybe 4 spots to fish. We caught about 15 or 20 fish, and took 4 with us when we left. He gutted the 4 fish and we brought it to the resort restaurant where for $10 per person (there were 3 of us) they cooked the fish, and gave us rice/salad as sides. It was a wonderful experience to eat your own catch. The hotel will pick you up at the ferry and drop you off when you depart. We also rented a golf cart for 3 hours from the hotel to drive around the island. Beware, there were lots of mosquitos in our hotel room though! We had to kill about 3-4 mosquitos each night before we went to bed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

This was the jewel of the trip. Our guide was super knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antigua Walking Tour

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide, Pablo was very patient and answered my many many questions.

Transport

Transport was via our foot!

Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Class

Antigua

This was a shared experience with another couple. We thoroughly enjoyed our cooking and eating experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Antigua

We had a good time on this trip, though it got scary whenever we had to ride on the main roads with many trucks and cars.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef

Caye Caulker

This snorkel trip to the Hol Chan departed from Caye Caulker, which was pretty far. I think if the visitors are also saying in San Pedro, then it would be a shorter distance to travel from San Pedro to the Hol Chan reserve for snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

The booking experience was very seamless and all details has been thought about and planned. Lucia was very responsive and quickly answered our questions.

On San Cristobal island our guide was knowledgeable but lacked some patience and often did not respond to our request positively. The hotel Pimampiro was a wonderful place and the hosts very extremely helpful and cordial. They were very accommodative and helped us with small requests and pointed us to information when we needed it . Snorkeling experience at Kicker rock was good and boat and the crew were knowledgeable and helpful

The public ferry we took from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz was not the best experience as the boat broke down a few times and it was crowded

Taxi services we used and the restaurants and stores were very good and people were friend and helpful in San Cristobal

The hotel Villa Laguna was good only thing to note is there were no elevators and our room was on the first floor which was ok with us . Hotel was clean and helpful staff. Breakfast was good

Our trip coordinator was good and helpful. The guide and the boat crew who accomplished on our snorkeling to Pinzon island and La Fe were very friendly, knowledgeable , attentive and accommodative . The food was prepared on board and excellent

Our guide and driver to the highlands and beaches were very good

Our only suggestion would be to ensure that The Darwin Research Center is included as part of the itinerary. At least for the 1.5 hours guided tour at the center is worth the visit

Our driver Abdur at Guayaquil airport picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel on the day of arrival and took us back to the airport next day for our flight to the Galapagos. He is very i helpful to navigate the complicated check in process for our flight to the Galapagos.

We definitely recommend using Lucia to book your Galapagos vacation

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Pimampiro

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Laguna

Puerto Ayora

No Elevators and we were ok but May be an issue with senior Patrons

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Ecuador

The views were fantastic

Quality of Experience

Food

Food at Rositas was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was knowledgeable but we felt he could have been nor accommodating and interactive . He was as knowledgeable

Transport

We took local taxis everywhere. The guide came with us

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Food on the boat was ok. I had asked for vegetarian food but there was not much option

Guides, Drivers and Staff

L

Cerro Mesa Reserve - Garrapatero Beach

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver didn’t know much about the place or didn’t know English

Transport

Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé

Puerto Ayora

We had a very nice snorkeling experience . Clear water and lot of marine life

Quality of Experience

Food

Amazing food. Cooked on board and very fresh

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and boat staff were fantastic . They gave us a very nice snorkeling experience

Transport

Exploring The Charles Darwin Research Station (Self Guided)

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Journey to the Santa Cruz Highlands: Witnessing Giant Tortoises in Their Natural Habitat

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olman was very patient in working with us as we weren't sure what we wanted from our trip. I appreciated all the information as we were making our choices. Olman had great suggestions on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. In particular, we loved our stay at The Springs. It was more than we would normally spend, but the resort was worth it. The La Paz Waterfall hiking and rafting excursion were our favorite outings. Our favorite meal was a reservation that Olman made for us in San Jose for our New Year's Eve dinner. All of our drivers were attentive to our needs and got us to our destinations safely and in good time. We normally plan our own trips, but I was so thankful to have Olman from KimKim do it for us for Costa Rica. I would definitely recommend this service!

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

This hotel was a great choice for our family because of the 2-bedroom villa with private pool. We even had monkeys swing by as we were swimming! But the vibe wasn't quite our speed. We didn't take advantage of the wellness opportunities and the food wasn't very family friendly. It might have just been a hard transition coming here after our favorite resort in Arenal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the beach, walking distance to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

The people at the front desk were the best part. Very helpful in calling taxis, exchanging money and answering our questions. Room was clean and comfortable, the food at the hotel was good. Only four stars because the fire alarm went off at five in the morning and the pool was cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

Worth the splurge! The staff was amazing - don't miss the welcome tour. The grounds are amazing. Rooms were lovely and the breakfast buffet was so good. The views are crazy beautiful. We wish we would have stayed here longer.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds/furnishings

Location

The view!

Staff

Ready to answer any question and make the stay more enjoyable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very spacious room even though we were staying as a family of four, it didn't feel cramped

Activity Reviews

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

Beautiful place! We loved walking the trails and seeing the waterfalls and the animals. Food was very good for lunch, too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a bit farther to raft then the information we were given suggested, but even so, I would recommend this trip. Guides were experienced and helpful and it was just the right amount of thrills for our family. The even took us to a spot where we could jump off a small cliff into the water.

Kayak & Snorkel Tour in Tamarindo Bay

Costa Rica

I missed this trip because I became ill in Tamarindo and unfortunately they were unable to reschedule us. My husband and kids went and enjoyed their time. The guide was fantastic. As far as snorkeling goes, they didn't see many fish, but they enjoyed the kayak ride.

We had a wonderful experience in Ecuador with Kimkim. Our guide Sebastian was simply wonderful: warm, helpful, and knowledgable. Our driver, Guillermo was excellent and very sweet. Lucia helped us plan a wonderful a trip. We will definitely use them again!

We are so glad we made our trip arrangements through kimkim! While we had some ideas about where to go and what to do while in Italy, we had no idea where to begin. Chiara from Storywalker filled in all the details - and it worked out beautifully! The hotels were lovely, the drivers who got us to and from our planes, trains and hotels were always courteous and on time and the tours could not have been better. (Many thanks to Luciana who guided us through the Vatican, Suzanna through the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Marta to the Appian Way and the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, Catia in Assisi, Tommaso to the Tuscan countryside and Sylvia through the museums of Florence!) Chiara responded to every message and request I sent during the planning phase and, along with her teammate Jessica, were available and responsive while we were in Italy.
Our days in Rome, Assisi and Florence were the perfect blend of history, faith, art and natural beauty we had hoped for. We would not hesitate to work with kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dei Mellini

Rome

Perfect location, clean and comfortable, excellent breakfast, friendly and helpful service.

Authenticity & Character

Quaint but not too small. Quiet street with residences and small businesses.

Location

Walking distance to the Vatican and other historical sites (Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, etc.)

Staff

Helpful and friendly - answered all of our touristy questions with a smile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Slept great, felt safe.

Il Palazzo

Assisi

Great location near the Basilica of San Francesco. Clean room, delicious breakfast, friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Modern accommodations in a historic building. Loved the view from our room!

Location

About halfway between the main square and the Basilica. Quiet, even during the busy Christmas season.

Staff

So friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Roomy bathroom, comfy bed - great place to rest!

Hotel Berchielli

Florence

Terrific location away from the Christmas crowd. Beautiful view. Clean and comfortable with a helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely accessible community patio, great view, modern conveniences in a historic location.

Location

Within walking distance to the Duomo, Uffizi and Academia. Set on the Arno River with a beautiful view of the bridges.

Staff

Friendly and helpful. Breakfast staff made sure we had everything we wanted.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Very crowded at Christmas time, but our guide Luciana did a beautiful job and kept us moving.

Quality of Experience

As lifelong Catholic, the Vatican has been on our bucket list for years. So much beauty, and such a great education. Our tour ended just in time for us to participate in 5:00 Mass.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luciana was a pro! The museum could have been overwhelming but she showed us the highlights and answered our questions.

Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum

Rome

An amazing walk through history with an exceptional guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Suzanna met us right on time in the planned location. She was so knowledgeable and personable! We very much enjoyed our time with her and learned so much!

San Callisto and walk through the Appian Way

Rome

This came about because of a last minute scheduling change, and was a real bonus! Interesting history and beautiful site.

Quality of Experience

A wonderful learning experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta taught us so much we did not know about the Appian Way and history of Rome. She gave us the important background information before we joined the guide for the Catacomb tour.

Free afternoon in Assisi

Assisi

We loved exploring Assisi. What a beautiful, spiritual place. We did not expect the crowd, but it was wonderful seeing people enjoying the Christmas displays.

Quality of Experience

Loved the character and spirituality of this charming place!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

Transport

Train from Rome to Assisi. Easy and restful. So glad to have been driven up into Assisi!

Assisi Private Walking Tour including St. Francis Basilica with Giotto frescos

Italy

Catia met us on time in the designated location. She taught us so much about Assisi and the region, and showed us the beautiful sites. Although she could not go into the Basilica with us due to the Christmas holiday, she prepared us well. She even gave us recommendations on other places to see in the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to India in the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) was amazing. Leading up to and throughout the trip, our local specialist Ravi Tickoo was attentive and friendly. He answered right away whenever we had a question and helped us plan a trip perfectly catered to our group. Our tour guide, Ajay Gupta, was the best! He was knowledgeable, flexible to our needs and wants throughout the trip, and all around fun to be around. I would recommend kimkim to anyone and can't wait to plan my next trip through them.

Hotel Reviews

The Oberoi Delhi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra

Agra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Royal Heritage Haveli

Khatipura, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival - Delhi

Delhi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Old Delhi Sightseeing - Agra

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra - Jaipur

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing Tour + Village jeep ride

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur - Delhi - Departure

New Delhi International Airport (DEL)

Three of us left earlier than the rest of our group, and the travel from Jaipur to Delhi for our flight was a little weird. Our driver stopped at one point at a rest stop, but then did not return to the car for half an hour. We had no way to contact him or find him which was off-putting. He eventually came back to the car and the rest of the drive was smooth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved our visit to Chile. We had fantastic guides throughout, but extra kudos to Agustin at Zenit Travel in Pucon, and his colleagues Gonzalo and Carlos. Gonzalo took us on a rafting trip in the Liucura River, where my son was able to fish and also had the opportunity to learn how to row the raft. Carlos went above a beyond - taking us a fantastic hike to Sanctuario El Cani, and thermal baths, but also helping us when we needed to change our plans a bit. Cannot recommend Zenit Travel more.

As well, the guides in San Pedro de Atacama were fantastic, particularly Diego (full-day tour of Altiplanico) and Victor (Tatio Geysers). We also really enjoyed our trekking experience in Torres Del Paine with Juan Pablo. Truly, all of the guides were great - I could mention everyone.

Finally, everything happened on schedule and as described. We were picked up in the documented timeframe and we were on time for all of our flights. There was always someone waiting for us an the airport, and excellent communication via WhatsApp from the tour operators. We always felt like we were in good hands.

The hotels were also great, with a special mention to the Altiplanico Hotel in Puerto Natales. The food was incredible and the architecture of the hotel is really interesting and cool. But all of the hotels were comfortable, clean, and had friendly staff.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Plaza San Francisco

Santiago

This was a great hotel that is in the very center of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Cerro Santa Lucia and markets; walking distance to Bellavista.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our Habitas Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

This hotel is great; the only potential drawback is that it is a ten minute walk from most of the shops and restaurants in San Pedro.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altiplanico Puerto Natales

Natales

We loved this hotel. It is not in the middle of Puerto Natales, but it is a short cab ride away, and has an awesome restaurant. The bathroom floors are heated and there is a heated towel rack as well - this felt luxurious after trekking in Torres Del Paine or seeing glaciers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pucon Green Park

Pucon

This is a very family-friendly hotel; it actually seemed to be mostly Chilean families on vacation (which was a positive for us). It was a beautiful pool and green area. It is a bit outside of the center of Pucon, but it is a quick cab ride or slightly longer walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day City Tour Santiago de Chile (Parks)

Santiago

This was a kid-friendly way to learn some of the history of Santiago while also climbing around and enjoying the outdoors. We particularly liked Cerro Santa Lucia and Cerro San Cristobal, but the Bicentennial Park in Vitacura was also beautiful, and an interesting contrast between older and newer parks.

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn't have food, so n/a.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Pedro de Atacama: Moon Valley and Death Valley Excursion

San Pedro de Atacama

This was a great introduction to some of the landscapes around San Pedro. It was also a good way to squeeze in a tour on a travel day, as it left later in the afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking the great dune.

Evening Astronomy Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

The guides were fantastic and we were able to see a number of stars, planets, and other space things. Great explanations were given, and it was nice to have some snacks available. It was also close to the hotel, which was good considering it was a late night and we had a child with us. So not having to do a long drive was a bonus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

D&B made our dream trip to Egypt easy and INCREDIBLE! They found us the best guides, hotels that matched our budget and preferences, and even got us on our dream cruise down the Nile. They stayed in touch through our whole trip, from airport transfers to hotels to where to eat. We had the best time ever and it honestly exceeded our expectations. Thanks Sharif for making Egypt easy and wonderful for us!

Activity Review

Tour to Giza Pyramids, Memphis & Saqqara

Cairo

Lina our guide was incredible at showing us the sights and telling us the known history of the pyramids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Incredible trip!!! Can’t wait to book the next with Kim Kim. My husband and I were a bit worried booking online but Yuliana did an incredible job.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Transport

Rafting Balsa River Class III & IV

Arenal/La Fortuna

Catamaran Sailing Excursion & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

This was my favorite part of the whole trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Monteverde

Monteverde

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Sky Tram & Sky Trek Adventure in Monteverde Cloud Forest

Monteverde

Transport

This is the 2nd time we used the kimkim platform to plan/book our trip in Europe given our amazing experience on the first one in Italy. This time we worked with the Pedro and Joao to plan our trip in Portugal and the experience did not disappoint!

During the entire process (from planning to the actual trip), they took care of us very well in terms of transportation, airport pickup/drop off in odd hours, staying in touch throughout to answer questions, accommodating our last minute requests on visiting places etc. The crew was friendly, very responsive, and plainly excellent customer service.

We had a bunch of tours and activities planned at various cities we visited (Lisbon, Évora, Porto, Cascais), All the tour guides were knowledgeable, professional, speak excellent English, and fun. Especially we want to thank our Lisbon guide Ricky who gave us the tour in pouring rain without an umbrella fully demonstrated his professionalism and love of the city!

Our trip would have been perfect if the “Gastronomic Experience” in Porto was actually about food. It turned out to be another wine tasting tour and a gift buying stop for jam. With another wine cellar visit at Sandeman (I’d recommend to skip if you are visiting Pachuca also with a nice lunch the next day) in the afternoon, we ended up tasting 12 glasses in 1 day pp and left the kids hungry and bored. Porto is a beautiful city, but I wish they have more to offer for kids or family-friendly activities for those who don’t drink wine.

Overall, the trip was memorable for us but with room for improvements. The best of the best was the NYE fireworks, the seafood, the walking tours, and the wine (for the adults). Thank you the team at Kimkim and Across Portugal for bringing us this great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Hotel Porto Jardim

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M'AR De AR Muralhas

Evora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Historic Odyssey Walking Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

We had the trip in pouring rain so didn’t enjoy as much. But our tour guide was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

This is a wine tasting tour without much food to enjoy. We didn’t not try any Portugal delicacies as advertised.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

On a rainy day, not worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Exploring Lisbon's Riverside on a E-Bike Adventure to Belém

Lisbon

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Step Back in Time with a Private Guided Tour of Évora and the Bones Chapel!

Portugal

Authentic Portuguese Cooking Class – 3-Hour Small Group Experience in Lisbon

Portugal

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our family trip to Colombia was amazing thanks to Margoth, Felipe and all team of Aracanto. Our guides - Nicole, Omar, Alba and Aura were great - knowledgeable and supportive all the time. All places that we visited - Bogota, Pereira, Salento, Cocora valley, Medellin and Cartagena were each very interesting and unforgettable. If someone is planning a trip to Colombia I can assure you that Aracanto will make your journey safe, promising and amazing !

Hotel Reviews

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Inn Bogotá

Bogotá

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sites

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Movich Hotel de Pereira

Pereira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Drums and Music Workshop

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Bogotá City Tour (with Gold Museum, Local Market and Monserrate Hill)

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cocora Valley,  Salento, & Coffee Farm Visit

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Year's Eve at The Movich Hotel

Pereira

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Medellin and Pablo Escobar

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alba was amazing

Transport

Guatape and El Peñol Tour & Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day City Tour of Cartagena

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Chocolate making Workshop for Children

Cartagena

Depart Colombia

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Abdellah and Said were very helpful. They would respond quickly when we have a question or concern. The guide in Fez, Hindi, was quite good and we enjoyed his tour.
All the sights were beautiful. Morrocco is a beautiful country. The dessert in Merzouga was memorable but too long to get to.
The tour itself was very tiring being on the road for so long. On hindsight, I should have just stayed in Marrakesh and Fez and do day tours rather that a 7 day road trip.
I believe there’s an option for this., which I should have taken instead.

Sherif is incredible. His knowledge of the country, responsiveness and dedication to quality service is unparalleled.

Activity Review

Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan- East Bank- Overnight in Luxor

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The platform KimKim provided was to me very useful and effective in putting together a personalised trip plan to a destination which I did not do much research into beforehand. It allowed me to choose the exact elements of what we wanted to see and do, and not just take an entire pre-determined package; but saved me the trouble of communication with tens of tour companies, hotels and transport and ticketing services. I just paid one single bill for it all, and though I did not do an exhaustive comparison, I don't believe the prices were unreasonably higher.

Yuri who assisted my booking from start to finish was informative and helpful. The mix-up on one particular day's tour that occurred was addressed by him promptly and responsibly, and a generous compensation was subsequently offered by KimKim for the inconvenience caused.

Overall I was happy with the experience and would consider using Kimkim again

Wonderful trip. Amazing organization. Friendly service. Aurelie from KimKim was a great contact who helped us throughout. Thank you!

The planning of the trip with Ashley was superb and very easy. Ashley was responsive to all of our questions. Our local guides (Lee in Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai area) and Tar (in and around Bangkok) were excellent. The guides were very knowledgeable of Thai history and very solicitous to our needs. They reacted well to slight changes we made in our itineraries (less shopping and more museum/sites). The boat ride on the Mekong River at the Golden Triangle, Thai Cooking Class in Bangkok, and the Floating Market (near Bangkok) were the highlights of the trip for me.

Trip was fabulous. We so enjoyed the natural and cultural beauty of the country, both the North and South Island. The drivers, guides and activities made the trip so enriching and comprehensive.
All hotels were excellent. We slept so well with comfortable and top rate beds and accommodations, and we had great views in all the important places, with spectacular views of Mt. Cook and also Auckland and Queenstown. We enjoyed all activities, particularly the range of activities. Special mention regarding Chuki, the Maori guide to the Tarawera crater, Craig, the guide to Milford, and Stu, the driver guide to Kaikoura. Top-rated activities were being in, hiking and spending Christmas at Mt. Cook National park, Tarawera crater walk, despite terrible weather (the only bad weather day), swim with the dolphins (too cold for Jennifer but John enjoyed being in the water while Jennifer enjoyed from the boat), jet ski safari, Earnslaw SSS steamboat and sheep demonstration outing and renting/riding e-bikes in Gibbston Valley to ride along the Arrow river gorge and the wineries. Work staff in many locations was notably affected - restaurants opened short hours and sometimes only on certain days - we discussed with the locals who explain the confluence of factors emerging from Covid that resulted in the labor shortage. Aukland airport hotel was the only downer of a hotel really - it was New Year's Even and the place was mediocre and the eating/drinking options were not open. The trip was aggressive at the beginning and a little unsure about a few details initially because we had to be on target for making the schedule early in the trip, but everything worked out well and we communicated with both Liz and the in country support agent Sharon to ask a few questions and sort out a few minor details. Many thanks to Liz for all her hard work on the trip to provide a very customized and comprehensive itinerary. New Zealand is a naturally beautiful country with hospitable people and good food and coffee. We look forward to a future trip to Australia as well. Cheers, Jennifer Archer

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Christchurch

Christchurch Central

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was small and only a single chair.

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Authenticity & Character

Location

Stellar view - one of the best in our lives

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa

Gibbston

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff who were there were helpful and professional; there was clearly a staff shortgage as many of the operations were not opened or fully functional (e.g., dining capacity and other shop/restaurant venues) again due to staff shortages. Villas were top rate!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Rutherford Hotel Nelson

Nelson

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It felt a little weird because we felt like one of only less than a handful of guests there and the restaurants and other parts of the hotel were not fully functional (probably due to the staffing shortage and the season). But is was a lovely top older hotel and had a washer and dryer which was much appreciated

M Social

Auckland

Staff were extremely helpful in Jennifer obtaining her backpack from the uber and in preparing the special take away breakfast in the morning. Room configuration and room design was a little strange with the shower open to view from the other parts of the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima Auckland Airport

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Auckland to Rotorua visiting Hobbiton with lunch

Auckland

Driver to Hobbiton was extremely knowledgeable and dexterous driving and imparting so much history and Maori tradition/history of the area to us passengers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tu Te Ra - Maori Cultural Dining Experience

Rotorua

An important experience to have to learn about Maori culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Did not care for the cheesy humor of the bus driver to the site

Transport

Half Day Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience

Rotorua

Tested my comfort zones but a really cool experience. Weather was cold, windy and cloudy/foggy but still a really cool experience. A little scary but having 2 guides was so important. We felt accomplished at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beaches, Bays & Seals Guided Kayaking Trip

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

We enjoyed the kayaking but perhaps could have seen more wildlife or gone further.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punting on the Avon

Christchurch

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N A

Full Day Kaikoura & Swim With Dolphins

Christchurch

Beautiful weather on whole trip except the day in Rotorua and spectacular for day in Kaikoura. The volume and acrobatics of the dusky dolphins was so interesting to watch! We saw them jump and 360s in unison of the whole pod which was really unique and cool. Saw an albatross or 2 as well. John really enjoyed the in water activity. Water too cold for Jennifer, but enjoyed watching the dolphins from the boat. as much from the boat. Also driver stopped to see some more fur seals. Learned about the sperm whales from the movie and demonstration boards at the whaling outfit.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was Christmas Eve which made it hard I think - we did not recieve the afternoon tea or the wine tasting. We did have the lunch with tea or coffee at Kaikoura cafe.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big Sky Stargazing Adventure

New Zealand

Was canceled due to the southern sky being obscured - although we noted that a good portion of the sky was clear. We should receive a refund for this activity.

Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really unique experience and love seeing Mt. Aspiring National Park.

Walter Peak Farm and Gourmet Barbecue Lunch

New Zealand

A must do activity in Queenstown.

Quality of Experience

Loved the sheep dog and sheep shearing experience particularly and the piano playing on the boatride back. Wish the sheep demonstration was longer.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Mariner Overnight Cruise from Queenstown (2 days, 1 night)

Queenstown (NZ)

The bus driver tour guide Craig gave us a special drive to Milford informing us about the history, geology, flora and fauna the whole way and stopping at a few special places, including the historic locomotive in Kingston. We had a special bonding with the 2 other couples that shared the bus ride as well. stopped at wildlife sanctuaries to see the extremely endangered Takahe birds along with the Kea, Antipides parrot, and Kaka. Another beautiful day, it was special to see the bottlenose dolphin pod and all the beec-tree covered fiords and water cascades and glaciers along with Tutoko and Mr. Meiner and other famous peaks. From the plan ride home were were able to see the vastness of the entire Fiordland National Park.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The only excursion we would not recommend is the kayak and snorkel tour in Manuel Antonio. The guide was horrible and the snorkeling was a total joke. I’ve never seen such dead coral. Apart from that everything else was fabulous!

An amazing experience from beginning to end. Rachel put together a perfect itinerary adapted to our needs in a very short period of time.