Kimkim Trip Reviews

Hien did a great job organizing a trip for our family of four. We were able to visit and explore all the places we were interested in, and within a reasonable time frame. Hien took into consideration the age of our kids and suggested a travel route that was enjoyable and not tiring. Hien was great at communicating and making changes when we needed it. The guides that Hien used were knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and accommodating. Overall, we were happy with the whole arrangement from beginning to end.

2024 Try Not to Forget to Remember Vietnam Adventure

Hotel Reviews

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

This was our least favorite hotel of our trip. We were expecting a quiet rural setting i.e. "Retreat", but what we got was a frustrating and aggravating room (306) located at the perimeter of the resort next door to a loud noisy bar/restaurant playing thumping techno music all Saturday night and even Sunday morning! Also our balcony view included a new resort down the hill with bright Christmas lights shining in our room all night. Our room was furthest from the restaurant and bar and the wet, poorly lit sidewalk and bridges presented a challenge for this 70-year old couple. The rain made the up and down sidewalks quite slippery and we worried about falling. Our room was also close to the main road and we could hear trucks and traffic all day and night. The restaurant asked that you give them one hour notice for grilled fish or chicken which seemed unreasonable. We went to a next door restaurant the second night and had a delicious meal at half the price. Dac San Pu Luong. We could hear the frogs croaking and the insects singing minus the techno music. When we went on a hike with Peter we passed a very nice hotel (Homestay Anh Bong) off the main road with a nice pool and restaurant that looked far better.

Authenticity & Character

Nice pool and rooms with lush grounds but the noise was a deal breaker.

Location

Our room (306) was at the perimeter of the resort and there was a bar/restaurant playing loud thumping techno music all Saturday night and Sunday morning. We were also next to the road with out traffic noise. Bright Christmas lights from a resort down the hill shined into our room all night.

Staff

I complained about the noise but there was nothing they could do.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were otherwise comfortable. No mini-refrigerators.

The Myst Dong Khoi

Ho Chi Minh City

Also one of our favorite hotels of the trip. Beautiful wood furniture in the room with a balcony from which we could see the Saigon river. The rooftop pool and bar were very cool and we went swimming every afternoon. Good location for shopping and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Loved all the hand-carved wooden furniture and rooftop bar and pool.

Location

Within walking distance of major shopping areas and best restaurants.

Staff

Very helpful with service and drinks on the rooftop.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and pool area.

Almanity Hoi An Wellness Resort

Hoi An

One of our favorite hotels on the trip. Staff very welcoming and helpful. Our room was nice and quiet with a room overlooking the beautiful pool which we swam in every day. The bed was comfortable and the room had a minibar with sink and coffee maker. The breakfast buffet was great and the staff even brought out a small birthday cake for me accompanied by a Happy Birthday chorus one morning! the hotel had bikes to use and we rode to the beach one morning. Good location to the historic area also with just a few blocks to walk. We had one hour of free massage available per day but we only used it once.

Authenticity & Character

Quiet setting considering there was ongoing construction right next door.

Location

Short walk to the historic area and a short bike ride to the beach.

Staff

Pregnant young waitress in restaurant with 5-year old son was exceptionally nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the pool!

Stellar of the Seas

quảng ninh

We were looking forward to our trip to Ha Long bay but were disappointed in the number of ships in our area and the boat staff trying to squeeze us for more money. The cocktails were weak and overpriced and the wine likewise. I asked for a cafe latte for breakfast and was told that would be an additional cost. Tried going to the upper deck for the sunset and cocktails but their was blaring thumbing techno music that totally ruined the experience. I complained to the bartender/DJ but nothing was done. Left after 15 minutes. Our second floor room with balcony was nice and quiet respite from the rest of the boat. We went kayaking and swimming off the back of the boat. We would have done better with a smaller boat and more sedate, refined feel to it. We were fed like hogs but I didn't go to Ha Long bay to just eat all the time. Seeking a beautiful, quiet and reflecting natural experience not a techno music festival.

Authenticity & Character

A large, loud boat in what should be a quiet, peaceful and relaxing setting is not what we were expecting. We whould have specified a smaller more intimate boat even if it cost more money.

Location

The big boats like the Stellar have to stay in designated deep water areas surrounding by dozens of other similar boats. For us it was not a special experience in a national park.

Staff

Merlin our waiter was quite helpful and personal. Other staff was always trying to get a few more dongs out of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room with balcony was nice.

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

A luxury hotel right in the middle of the Old Quarter Hanoi. The food, service and amenities (pool, bar) were first rate. The rooms were quiet and dark with mini-fridge, two bathrooms, and comfortable bed.

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel with all the bells and whistles.

Location

Perfect for assessing the Old Quarter and several major tourist sites.

Staff

Always friendlly and willing to help you. Good English skills.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daily room service and comfortable furniture.

Activity Reviews

Cu Chi tunnels - HCMC highlights

Ho Chi Minh City

Our guide Mr. Nam spoke very good English and provided good historical information as we toured the tunnels, Liberation Palace, and the War Remnants Museum. Seeing the elaborate tunnels and traps the Viet Cong had built during the American War showed how resilient and innovative the Vietnamese fighters were and brought home the stark harshness and cruelty of war. Touring the War Remnants Museum showing horrifying photos of massacred and mutilated VC soldiers , women and children, all reportedly at the hands of American soldiers and bombs, made me feel shameful as an American. Definitely a one sided view of the war but there was enough cruelty to go around for both sides. Visiting the Liberation Palace refreshed my memory of the end of the South Vietnam regime.

Quality of Experience

The Cu Chi tunnels, Liberation Palace, and War Remnants Museum is a must see for those who seek a deeper understanding of the Vietnam/American War. We skipped the big church and Post Office.

Food

Great lunch at a Ho Chi Minh restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Nam was great as was the driver.

Transport

Reliable with cold water available.

Bicycle Tour of Rural Villages - Cultural Tour of Hanoi

Hanoi

We first met Peter our guide and he was amazing. We visited a small village outside Hanoi and met Dr. Du a retired orthopedic surgeon at his home. We talked for quite a while using Peter as our interpreter. My wife and I are both physicians and found him interesting. He had been a physician in the North Vietnamese Army during the American War and had been shot in the head by an American soldier. It left him unable to perform as an orthopedic surgeon but he continued to work as a physician and teacher in Vietnam after the war. He had no animosity toward Americans and was happy we had come to visit Vietnam. We took a walking tour of his village (it was lightly raining and not good for bicycle riding. We enjoyed visiting the marketplace and temple but were less interesting in seeing some of the homes of famous leaders and soldiers. We helped prepare pork spring rolls with his wife and daughter and ate Bun cha for lunch. That was a fun and hands on experience. We also did a few shots of rice wine. :) In the afternoon we toured the Literature Temple and Tran Quoc pagoda with Peter. That was interesting and beautiful. We saw the John McCain memorial at a nearby lake. Peter stopped at a shop where disabled folks made and sold weavings and other products. We bought a few souvenirs and drank egg coffee for the first time. Saw a water puppet show at the end of the day that was entertaining. it was a great day that exhausted us with all the walking (we were still jet lagged ) but we could have skipped all the historical sights in the outlying village.

Quality of Experience

Peter.

Food

the lunch cooked at Dr. Du's house was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter was great at explaining all the sights, providing real experiences, and a great photographer also!

Transport

Hip (? spelling) was quite good, timely, and provided daily water.

Ho Chi Minh city - Vespa tour after dark

Ho Chi Minh City

Loved this activity! Our drivers and guides Vic and Kim (?) spoke English quite well and seemed to enjoy showing us all the different foods and places. Fun diving into all the motorcycle traffic on the back of a Vespa and flowing along.

Quality of Experience

Interacting with the cooks and guides at the different food stops.

Food

small food stalls

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very enthusiastic about their city, food, and people.

Transport

Zipping along in the sea of motorcycles.

Tra Que vegetable village - Hoian walking tour half day

Hoi An

We skipped the vegetable village and only did the Hoian walking tour. It was okay but our guide was not very inspiring and we had tired of looking at pagodas and old shrines. Probably more about us than her. She took us to a few of her favorite shops..a tailor, lantern maker, and clothing. No real deals to be made. We had a coffee together and she took a photo of us on the bridge. We had another big lunch which was excellent. Spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and went home for a late afternoon swim at the hotel.

Quality of Experience

helpful guide and tour.

Food

good but nothing special

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lan Ha - Tuan Chau Harbour (Stellar of the Seas Cruise) - Return to the airport

Vietnam

Enjoyed the rowboat visit to the caves in the morning.

Quality of Experience

Food

wanted extra money for a cafe latte' for breakfast.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

picked us up on time and got us to the airport ahead of schedule.

Transport

Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (Stellar of the Seas)

Vietnam

We were really looking forward to our visit to Ha Long Bay but were disappointed in the number of large boats in our area, the overpriced, weak cocktails and drinks, and the loud techno music blaring on the rooftop bar when were hoping to have a peaceful sunset experience. The food was plentiful and tasty and the service first rate. Our room was quite nice with a balcony after we paid for an upgrade. We went kayaking but the crew staff made us take off our water shoes so we couldn't get out on barnacled shore to swim. We were able to swim from the boat in the bay and we made the crew staff nervous swimming too far from the boat. We did use the boat pool to relax in after our bay swim. I think we may have misled Minh when we mentioned swimming as a priority in our trip to Ha Long Bay. She probably thought we meant an onboard swimming pool when we meant open water swimming. A smaller cruise boat without a pool would have provided a more intimate experience and perhaps get us away from all the crowds of large boats. I was irritated when I asked for a cafe latte for breakfast and was told it would cost extra. The row boat trip to the caves were interesting.

Quality of Experience

We like the kayaking, open water and pool swimming, and the boat trip to the caves. We hated the expensive weak cocktails and the loud techno music on the rooftop.

Food

too much delicious food! Couldn't believe they asked me to pay extra for a cafe latte' for breakfast!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our personal waiter Merlin was quite pleasant and helpful.

Transport

On time, water in the car. We stopped at a pearl factory/tourist trap that was interesting. We bought a couple of earrings that my wife loves.

Pu Luong Natural Reserve - Hanoi

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

more scenic drive back to Hanoi than on the way to Pu Luong. Stopped at an elementary school and were swarmed by 5th graders eager to try out their English. Stopped and saw some water mills. Stopped for coffee and pho for lunch.

Quality of Experience

It may have been a prearranged setup but having the school children run out of the school and embrace us was a pretty cool experience.

Food

more pho but also tried a boiled duck egg.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter finds and creates amazing experiences.

Transport

Hidden trails of Pu Luong (Don village)

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Mildly challenging hike on mostly developed roads seeing mountains, rural areas and villages. Some good overlooks. Saw a snake that was both venomous and poisonous. Visited with an elderly woman weaving and bought a couple of weavings. Ate big lunch at a villager's home. Peter was quite helpful and patient with us old folks.

Quality of Experience

Nice to get out and stretch our legs and see the countryside.

Food

Fresh, delicious, local food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter was an excellent guide providing information, creating experiences, and taking photos.

Transport

Transfer to Pu Luong Nature Reserve & Hike

Vietnam

Long drive to Pu Luong Reserve (>4 hours) but interesting stops along the way. Peter was very helpful showing us around the Pom Coong village. Big lunch there. Enjoyed watching the native weavers at work and bought a couple of weavings. Walked around the rice fields and saw the village folks going about their business.

Quality of Experience

Out of the busy city and into the countryside! Interesting people, food, textiles, and villages.

Food

Great food for lunch!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter excellent showing us around, answering our questions and creating experiences.

Transport

Always had water in the car.

Sangita and her team provided us with excellent service for our trip to Nepal.

Bhim and his son were absolute stars getting us up to Australian Camp. I felt safe the whole time.

Bipin shared his extensive knowledge of the holy sites in Kathmandu, and was a welcome companion at lunch and on a shopping expedition.

Sangita was very responsive, and organized everything with great efficiency.

As always kimkim and its collaborators deliver great experiences. Thank you Christina.
I do have to say that during our planning phase, I got some wrong information on my itinerary and it led to some misunderstandings, outside of that: all good.

Mathias was super honest about the Galapagos and told us in all honesty that we would see more by boat than any land trip and he was right.
He set up a trip for us in the Amazon Rain Forest area. The place was absolutely lovely and we had an excellent time. We loved the walks to the waterfalls and also the night walk, the day trip to the Amazon to meet the animals and the indigenous people all were amazing. The guide from the hotel Leonardo was truly excellent and was extremely kind and helpful. The pet monkey at the resort "Ramona" was the star of the show. We had a great time with her and she came on the walk to the rain forest hanging on one of us the whole time. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The chocolate making class was fascinating and the chocolate was excellent that we made. The resort also had a lot of locals from Quito and we had an amazing time interacting with them. So all in all, a great choice of resort and just the right amount of activity for us. On the way back we stopped at a bird sanctuary and also the famous hot springs. We had an excellent time swimming between the very cold pool and the very hot pools. All in all the choices that Mathias made were totally on the money and the whole thing was effortless and was enjoyed by all of us.

I can't say enough about the entire experience. All the transportation, accommodations and guides performed and exceeded our expectation. Weather was the only factor that affected our trip.

All ground transport was waiting for us when we exited our flights or checking out in the lobby of our hotels.

Hotel staff at the The Uman Lodge Patagonia was excellent. They communicated with the outfitters during our stay to make sure that our activities and pick up times coordinated. One negative comment about the hotel is the access road, a very rough and rocky road. but once you got to the top, it was majestic.

We also really appreciated our private transport from Puerto Arenas. He was an excellent guide as well.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altiplanico Puerto Natales

Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Uman Lodge Patagonia

Futaleufu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Wyndham Puerto Varas Pettra

Puerto Varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Azul River to Bridge White Water Rafting

futaleufu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip to Glacier Grey

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

if rough weather is visible, maybe advise travelers that if you get sea sick, you may want to go on a different day so the rest of the passengers will not miss out on the experience as we did because they turn the boat around due to a few passengers getting sea sick. They should understand that seeing the glacier is one if not the biggest reason people come to the area.

Transport

Kayaking in Grey Lake & Grey River

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hotel Las Torres Tour Options

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine National Park Private Tour

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day White Water Rafting

futaleufu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly Fishing Half-Day

futaleufu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bridge to Bridge White Water Rafting

futaleufu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was in January 2024 and was an amazing trip. We stayed in Quito for a couple of days and had an excellent guide and driver, Marco. His English was good and he helped me with my Spanish :). We especially loved the trip to Cotopaxi and the horseback ride in the National Park. From there we went to the Galapagos and boarded the ship, Infinity. The ship and crew were fabulous. There were two very knowledgeable, engaged naturalists on board (Fernando and Mari) that made our trip memorable. The ship advertises that they have gourmet meals, which we would rate as just ok, but we were there for the wildlife and the experience so it wasn't that big of deal. There was no lack of food - seems like they were always feeding us. The wildlife was unlike any we have seen elsewhere. We were able to get up close and personal with all species - even the birds didn't fly away from us when we got close. I would recommend this trip to anyone! Alvaro was great in helping us personalize the itinerary. and answering all our questions. KimKim is a bit expensive but this is our third trip with them so I guess we think that it's worth it.

Activity Reviews

North Seymour Island - Baltra Airport (Infinity Luxury Yacht)

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Egas Port - Bartholomew Island

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay - Tagus Cove

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Moreno Point - Elizabeth Bay

Cruise Ship

Explore Cotopaxi National Park on Horseback, Transfer to Quito

Cotopaxi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana is my trip planner. She gave me great experience and surprises for my Argentina trip. She is responsible and follow and manage the whole duration of the trip. We faced some problem of entry to the country, Ana and her travel agent made immediate arrangements for alternative tour without charging us extra. An extremely reliable tour agent and service especially we are new to the Country. Top grade Service & Highly recommended.
All her travel agents and guides are knowledgeable and experienced.

Activity Reviews

Porteño Fileteado: An Artistic Journey

Buenos Aires

Artist’s work is excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class: touring four regions of Argentina

Buenos Aires

Wonderful experience with the Chef

Quality of Experience

Loop

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Colonia del Sacramento

Buenos Aires

Great guide - excellent service, experience guide and knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Estancia Gaucho Day

Buenos Aires

Excellent horse show

Quality of Experience

Pop

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Buenos Aires Barrios Tour

Buenos Aires

Gala Tango Dinner & Show

Buenos Aires

Great show and nice wine and dinner !

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The most impressive thing about Michael is that his response time was extremely timely and good.

He was able to secure a great bird guide for my in Tyrona National park. The guide will make or break a birding trip.

I would highly recommend Michael to help organize a trip to Columbia.

Emily was an absolute pro at making me feel well looked after on this trip. She was wonderful about listening attentively to my needs and shifted her approach to the planning when some unexpected developments emerged shortly before and during the trip. The local guides and drivers were so hospitable and made me feel like a family member at every step of the way. I couldn’t have enjoyed this trip more!

Minh was great in helping us plan out trip!

All activities were superb and most lodgings. We love KimKim and highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Mango Bay Phu Quoc

This hotel was not a good fit at all for us. We request king beds or 2 beds throughout our trip - this was neither. It was not central air, bathroom outside. I have breathing issues and we never assumed this would be an issues. Kimkim could not help us with a different property so we found our own property and transferred the next night. The toll away bed they brought in at a different villa was not suitable for my husbands back. This was a total disappointment. We loved where we transferred to and we’re able to solve our own issue .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Above noted

Can Tho Ecolodge

Can Tho

Issues with restaurant. Gluten free and menu issues with lack of understanding regarding our questions about the food. Language issue primarily.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Bad experience with massage, rough treatment and got the feeling she did not want to be there doing the massage. Above restaurant issues noted.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Hoi An

Over this hotel, wish all lodging were to this standards, most were.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Exceptional and really great with gluten free!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had to switch rooms when we arrived but the staff & hotel were totally GREAT!

The L’Amour Junk

Great experience!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff, everyone was superb and exceeded our expectations!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tam Coc Garden Resort

Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Had issues with their understanding gluten free.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avana Retreat

Hoa Binh

Authenticity & Character

Worth everything to enjoy this experience!

Location

Loved our villa!

Staff

Staff was totally exceptional!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Scuba Diving Day in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc

This day I did the mud baths while Bob did scuba so both were great experiences!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phu Quoc Island Getaway

Phu Quoc

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Can Tho - visit floating market and explore around Can Tho

Can Tho

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Tra Que Village & Hoi An City Tour

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay - Cap La (with L'Amour Junk)

Vietnam

This was truly a one of a kind experience! They exceeded all of our expectations from the food to all activities. I am only filling out this one with pictures to be all inclusive of all activities❤️

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Hoa Binh: Avana Retreat

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A full day explore the rural life in Hanoi

Hanoi

This was amazing due to our guide which was different than planned, thank good ness we had a different guide. Only wished we had been able to switch to him for that day on. His name was: Hiep Nguyen +84 98 671 02 34

Quality of Experience

Food

Amazing experience at the lady’s home!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was not the easiest customer and asked Mathia to put together a 'slow travel' itinerary for me and my father, who has mobility issues. I asked for a train trip, a boat trip and high views of the fjords. I was not expecting him to be able to achieve all of this in 7 days. Mathia organised an incredible itinerary with multiple opportunities to experience the points that I requested. I never could have navigated the websites (which were in Norwegian) or book all of the tickets in the speed he managed to do so. The entire trip went according to plan, other than a slight change due to an avalanche which affected one part of our trip. He communicated clearly throughout and managed to convey alternative options with such prudence and cadence. The guided walks in Oslo and Bergen were brilliant and helped us to immerse ourselves in local culture quickly. I would absolutely recommend kimkim and, most importantly, Mathia, to anyone looking to book a trip of a lifetime to Norway. Thank you Mathia, for your speedy and personalised service, and for giving me a wonderful opportunity to make memories with my Dad.

Veronika prepared a fun itinerary for a short trip to Sweden to the see the Northern Lights. Veronika was available throughout the trip and answered questions promptly. When a train was cancelled, she immediately re-booked us on an alternate route, and our trip continued smoothly. She herself needed to take a flight during our trip and took the initiative to find a replacement guide in case we had any questions while she was travelling in case we couldn’t get in contact with her. Veronika put together an intricate itinerary which involved a few different hotels and activities, all in a short 4 day visit. She gave restaurant suggestions and made reservations where appropriate. Working with her was a breeze. Veronika is friendly, accomodating, and a joy to work with!

We are a family of 5, kids aged (9,15,17) 15 days in New Zealand starting in Auckland, driving down to Rotoroa, flying down to Christchurch, traveling by train to Greysmouth, car to Frans Jofef and car to Queenstown. It was a busy trip, but we loved every minute. The Maori traditional hungi and cultural night was enjoyed by of us, the mud baths at Hellsgate in Rotoroa - don't expect to get your clothes back, just take ones you can ditch! but it is a lovely experience. The night time glowworm kayak on the lake also a great experience - so peaceful. Down to the south island, the Christchurch botanical gardens are well worth an afternoon exploring - beautiful. The train ride to Greysmouth is very scenic. When driving from Frans Josef to Queenstown, remember the sick bags if anyone has travel sickness, the windy roads are next level, but the views are stunning. Queenstown is a beautiful part of the world, the lake offers so many options for tourists. The Bungee at the bridge, is worth just visiting to witness other peoples bravery! So much we didn't see, so we will be back.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel St. Moritz

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Although it is on a really steep hill, that you need to walk up and down to get the town.

Staff

The breakfast barista made a beautiful coffee with a smile - thankyou

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier

Franz Josef Glacier

Reception decor looks quite fancy, but the rooms don't match that, but we were comfortable and it was clean and tidy. You do have beautiful views of the snow topped mountains and the fog rolling in is quite surreal.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima Lake Rotorua

Rotorua

Great location, we had rooms next to each other as we have 3 kids. Walking distance to the town.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oaks Auckland Hotel (Prev. Nesuto Stadium Auckland)

Auckland

We enjoyed our stay in these apartments. We just really need at least a fan in the bedrooms as it was too hot in January and the a/c was only in the living area. Great location and walking distance to the ferry and shops.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure & Funyak River Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

Due to bad weather we just did the jetboat part of this tour. Was a lot of fun, and the scenery was stunning.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

staff were all fantastic.

Transport

Franz Joseph 4 hour Kayak and Walk

New Zealand

This is a lovely day on the lake, if you are lucky enoguh to get a still day, the reflections are just beautiful. The kayaks are very comfortable and easy to manouver, the walk up into the forrest is really peaceful and beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

she was sounding a bit rusty, nearly didn't start.

Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided

Rotorua

It's a lovely experience, maybe not for kids that don't like the dark or the water. As its hard to come back if they don't like it. For couples its a lovely time together, its really peaceful on the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

great family experience for all ages. we thoroughly enjoyed this tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TranzAlpine Train: Christchurch to Greymouth

Christchurch

Great experience, beautiful views, great time for reflection and relaxation. The scenic cart was an added bonus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was feeling overwhelmed in December trying to pull a January trip off last second. That's when I found KimKim and though a motor hesitant went ahead and booked through them.

Olman was great at understanding my requirements and interests and offering a few suggestions until we had the perfect itinerary for us.

The trip was also perfectly executed from our airport pickup to dropoff. Tours, hotels, and especially transfers are all the mundane work about a vacation that's not fun. The Kimkim team took that off our hands entirely which just left us to enjoy.

My favorite excursion was the white water rafting! And followed closely by the ecotermales hot springs in La Fortuna... But I love good hot springs. Our guide, Alan, in the Manuel Antonio park was also so nice and knowledgeable.

The restaurant recommendations were also top notch!

I e-mailed and spoke with Linda to have a fabulous trip of 12 days. After 2 days on our own Milton Chiqui Lopez took us to sites around Quito-highlighted by the weird effects at the equator-we visited the charming mountain of Baños in the high Andes. The 4 hour drive each way was scenic.
The trip ended with a trip into the deep Amazon rainforest to the extraordinary La Selva lodge Biden by a lake. Ore guide Dan Hicks was a 16 year veteran from England. Four days of walks and canoe rides to explore both flora and fauna. F
Innovative Euro-American cuisine that was 5 star. Luxurious accommodations high in the jungle.All rides to airports were smooth, courtesy of Alejandro & son
It was perfect.

Hotel Reviews

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat

Yasuní National Park

An extraordinary luxurious lodge with 5 star 3 meals daily. Great hiking and boat rides A beautiful setting on a going size lake

Authenticity & Character

A true resort deep in the wilderness.

Location

In the rainforest.

Staff

All 28 employees spoke excellent English and went out of their way to be helpful. Wait staff had the polish of a 5 star restaurant All 28 staff spoke excellent English. They went out of their way to be helpful. The wait staff worked as a team and had the professionalism of a 5 star place.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Immaculate

Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa

Baños

A small very charming hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In pleasant neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Plazas

Quito

No heat in 49F weather. Breakfast just ok. Some spoke no English.

Authenticity & Character

Small and quaint

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Scenic 2hour ride on rivet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Observation Tower, Garza Cocha Lake & Night Walk

Yasuni National Park

All fascinating exploration of Amazon and its flora & fauna

Quality of Experience

As abkve

Food

Activities in Baños & Return to Quito

Ecuador

Just tour of the Andes

Quality of Experience

Food

Very giid

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Baños

Ecuador

Grest visit to the stunning Andes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

Interesting although 200 meters off equator

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guides and perfect transfer services

Transport

This was a very last-minute trip. Our Travel Specialist, Moonika, showed her expertise and savvy in promptly providing an itinerary of travel, accommodations, and outdoor winter activities available during Rovaniemi's high season that had everything we wanted - plus a few things we didn't know we wanted! Our time in Helsinki was also fascinating, and the day trip to Tallin, Estonia was fantastic. While we were on the trip, Moonika stayed in touch and was especially helpful in contacting a snowmobile tour company to help retrieve a lost phone! You could tell she was poised and ready to go above and beyond to assure we had an unforgettable Nordic vacation, which is truly what we experienced.

Our family has travelled to more than 30 countries and all seven continents. We have used various travel agents for trips to Africa, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

I can say without hesitation that Kimkim is the best travel agency, and our local specialist Sandy is the best individual travel agent, that we have ever worked with.

The planning process with Sandy was easy, transparent, efficient and informative. We went back and forth several times as we narrowed down our itinerary, chose our hotels and selected our experiences. Sandy always had great options, common sense suggestions and creative ideas. Every time I had a question or a message for Sandy, I would have a direct and helpful answer from her the very next day. And, importantly, she always respected our budget. We never felt rushed, manipulated or "up sold" on anything.

Our Kyoto guide Sunny was delightful. A longtime guide, his love for Japan showed through at all times. He was very easy to be with -- always going out of his way to find just the right snack or restaurant, shortcut or camera angle.

Or Hiroshima guide, Yuji was terrific. During Covid, he created a series of illustrated notebooks that cover every possible aspect of Japan's history, geography, culture and traditions. I think I learned more about Japan while reading his notebooks than at any other moment on the trip. Yuji also plays the flute and gave us an extraordinary sample of his musical talents while we walked through a beautiful forest on Miyajima island -- it was a totally magical and unexpected moment for us.

Yoshi, our Tokyo guide, was equally excellent. He took us across Tokyo on various subway and commuter lines -- covering more sights and attractions more immersively than we could have imagined. His choice of sushi lunch restaurant was absolutely perfect -- some of the best sushi I have ever had in my life. After just one day with him, we were sorry to say goodbye.

Finally, Ryoji, our guide for a night time food tour of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, was absolutely amazing. Over the course of four hours, he took us to five different eating establishments, down narrow alleyways, along wide boulevards and through crowded neon-lit intersections. This was probably my favorite single experience on the trip.

Unfortunately, while in Tokyo, we had an unexpected health situation (totally unrelated to our activities or Kimkim's planning) that required us to cut short our trip and return home. In these difficult moments, Sandy was unbelievably supportive and helpful. She helped us make immediate and urgent changes to our plans, was available 24/7, and helped us get refunds on the activities that we could not do. Her constant availability, encouragement, and support helped us get through a difficult moment which required difficult choices and stressful adjustments to the trip.

Even weeks after our trip, Sandy was still engaged with us, helping wrap up final details and offering encouragement.

In summary, I highly recommend Kimkim, Sandy and our local guides. They really are the best travel professionals we have ever worked with.

We will definitely use Kimkim for our next trip.

If your experience is half as good as our experience was, you won't be disappointed!!

Activity Review

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

This was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend this. The highlight of our Tokyo visit!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryoji was excellent! Ask for him!!

Transport

Our family of four (parents and two adult sons) had an amazing trip to Cambodia thanks to Steve and his team. While we have traveled in Asia before, this was our first time in Cambodia and Steve was enormously helpful in crafting a trip that worked for our family and gave us an incredible introduction to the culture, history and beauty of Cambodia. We will definitely be back! We began with 3 days in Siem Reap where our guide Ms. Sokin shared her in-depth knowledge of the beautiful temples of Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom & Banteay Srei. We enjoyed the traditional Apsara dancing one night and had delicious meals there and at Haven restaurant. Having a guide and driver from the moment we landed at the airport made the trip so much easier. We traveled by boat to Battambang, which was a long trip (@7 hours) but definitely worthwhile as we saw the floating villages and beautiful countryside along the way, and the boat was comfortable and a fun experience in itself. We stayed 3 days in Battambang with Ms. Sokin continuing as our guide - highlights included making lunch with the locals, where we harvested local ingredients and prepared delicious local cuisine as well as the bike tour, where we toured a number of local home-industries. Also the bamboo train was a fun experience and the visit to Phnom Sampeau for sunset should not be missed. We then traveled by car to Phnom Penh, stopping along the way to visit a pottery maker and the market, where we tried some local delicacies (some of us more adventurous than others!). We spent 3 days in Phnom Penh. Our guide there Ms. Sreyhouch led us through the beautiful central market, where you can get anything from fresh food to housewares to jewelry. We also visited the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, important to understanding the history of the Khmer people. All-in-all, our trip was amazing (but slightly exhausting) - the hotels were all comfortable and accomodating, and we felt that we were really able to see the local experience (particularly in Battambang). The knowledge and support of our guides and driver deepened our experience, allowing us to focus on the experience rather than worrying about whether we were missing something or how we were going to get to the next place. We would highly recommend Steve and his team!

Hotel Reviews

Palace Gate Hotel & Resort

Phnom Penh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maisons Wat Kor

Battambang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Aviary Hotel

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bamboo train ride

Battambang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

HAVEN Restaurant

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angkor Wat morning visit

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional dance performance and dinner

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angkor Thom (afternoon) by remork (tuk tuk)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My review is related to the value of the trip. It would have been fine if we were on one of those $2500 per person trips. We paid almost $7,000 per person and for that amount it was disappointing. Guides were really poor. Took the minimum time to explain things and then left us in our own. We had to discreetly join other groups to learn more than the basics. Hotels were ok with one terrible exception (Tolip in Aswan was really awful).

As far as I can tell KimKim doesn’t do anything except contract with lessor know agencies in each country. You would be better off working directly with the known agency.