Kimkim Trip Reviews

Everyone at Kimkim was so helpful. I cannot say enough good things about them. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly, always answering my questions. I don’t walk well and they did everything for my comfort. I was always notified in advance. The hotels and food were good. I would happily book with them again. The local tours they arranged were fascinating.

Hotel Review

La Reserva Virgin Lodge de Selva by DON

Puerto Iguazú

I felt like I was living in nature. Our room was beautiful, comfortable, with a very private screened porch looking at the jungle. The staff were helpful and the pool was lovely. Breakfast was ample and good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Looking at jungle

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full day to the Argentinian side of the falls

Argentina

I loved the tour. I am 88 and was too tired to do the oat at the end. But the guide made allowance for my slow pace and was extremely helpful. For me it would have been better to have the boat trip on the Brazilian side of the falls

Mendoza Premium Wine Tour

Mendoza

The wineries were each different. We learned so much and the wine was great. The meal at the end was unbelievable. We took pictures of every dish we ate.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I booked a 12-day trip to Egypt through KimKim/contracted with Egypt Promotions and it was the best trip we could’ve ever imagined. Ibrahim helped plan the itinerary and I took most of his recommendations since I was unfamiliar with the best places to visit. From the moment we landed in Cairo & throughout the trip there was always a representative waiting to take us to our hotel/destination. We never had to wait for anyone and we never felt lost or confused. Our tour guide in Cairo, Mostafa, was so cool, informative, patient, friendly, and knew the best spots for photos. The Farah Nile Cruise was absolutely amazing and I can’t say enough great things about the boat, staff, food, service. Abanob was our tour guide in Aswan and Luxor and he made us feel safe and was extremely informative. He was well educated and provided great facts and insights and I know we wouldn’t have had the same experience if we visited the sites alone. There was one night that my husband and I ventured off alone in Luxor city and it was overwhelming with the aggressive street vendors. This brief experience gave us a bigger appreciation for the tour guides and drivers. Yazeed was our driver and guide in Jordan and we loved his calm and friendly demeanor. He provided the needed information and gave us the time we needed to enjoy each stop. We never felt rushed with him. Despite the numerous destinations, cities and hotels, moving through each one was seamless and there’s no way we could’ve planned this kind of adventure on our own. Everything was absolutely wonderful and the only things I’d mention is that I would’ve liked to have more time and opportunity to visit the small street vendors. We were always told to avoid them and their cheap souvenirs but then we were taken to specialty shops that charge much higher prices and it’s obvious the guides received commission for our purchases. Also, at the end of the cruise our tour guide had us give him the envelope with the boat crews tips instead of putting it in the box at the front desk which is standard protocol. I would like to think that the money was given to the boat crew but not sure why I couldn’t give it directly to them.

My first review did not go through. I did provide a review to Yuliana noting that everything was as represented, no surprises and all is good. KimKim, Amazilia, Yuliana, all transportation and excursions were excellent.

Contact Yuliana for my review.
Thanks
Bill Bennnett

Serendipity Adventures organized a fantastic, memorable trip for us and another couple. Sergio, Nancy, and Charlotte readily incorporated our requests and preferences, secured top notch accommodations, booked excellent excursions, and made sure our transportation from destination to destination proceeded flawlessly. When we reached out via web messaging or What’s App, even after hours, responses came quickly and thoroughly.

Sergio suggested we start in San José, hike at Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall, cross hanging bridges in the rain forest, raft the Peňas Blancas River, boat across Lake Arenal, hike and ride a sky tram in Saint Elena Cloud Forest, tour Don Juan coffee plantation, enjoy abundant nature and dazzling beaches in Manuel Antonio Parque, and wrap up with a sunset catamaran cruise in the Pacific. Our guides knew their fauna and flora, pointing out animals and plants we never would have noticed on our own. Andres, our Endemic Bird guide at Manuel Antonio, an ornithologist and botanist, topped them all. Bryan and Abner at the river rafting excursion were knowledgeable and great fun.

Our hotels in San José, Fortuna, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio were clean, comfortable, roomy, and exceeded expectations. Our private transfers to each city and back to SJO went without a hitch. Courteous drivers. Clean, comfortable vehicles with sufficient space for luggage and relaxing on three- to four-hour drives. Turns out, being transferred cost less than renting a sufficient vehicle — and leaving the driving to Hugo, Marvin, and Wendell removed all stresses over navigation and poor roads.

An ice storm in Dallas nixed our flight home on the last day. Though there work for us was done, Charlotte replied promptly to my What’s App request for help securing a room near SJO. Glad she stepped up and made that aspect of our delays smooth. Pura vida.

All in all, we would use Serendipity again and are highly satisfied with the planning process, cost and value, and the outcome of our first trip to Costa Rica. Thank you, Sergio and the Serendipity team, for helping us enjoy a worry-free, memorable vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Great location next to Manuel Antonio Parque and a short stroll to the beach. Attentive staff at check-in and helpful to us throughout our stay. Enjoyed the main and sixth floor pools, plus the view of the Pacific from the rooftop eating area. Clean, comfortable rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

What a view! We stayed on the second floor, overlooking the valley and town. Spectacular sunsets. Mileydi was especially kind and helpful to us. Tasty lunch and dinners at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

We loved staying in the villa. Quiet location with superb view of flora and fauna. Timely shuttle service to/from the common areas. Enjoyed the many pools and water slide. Las Palmas wait staff took good care of us in

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

We enjoyed our stay. The rooftop restaurant view. Delicious breakfasts and rich, strong coffee. Attentive, courteous staff. Good location for walking to museums, parks, and desired site. Clean, comfortable, spacious room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

TreeTram & Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

Chris (sp?) pointed out so many birds, insects, and plants. The hanging bridges afforded spectacular views. Enjoyed the tram and climbing the observation tower.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Sailing Tour

Costa Rica

A relaxing way to conclude our Costa Rica trip. Tasty fish dinner. Surprised that you offered four drinks per passenger, and they were kind of strong.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inefficient process. We'd prepaid. Some on bus hadn't. Everyone needed to check-in at office, reboard bus, and drive to marina. Seems like the drivers could know who was prepaid, wristband them, and streamline the payment/check-in routine.

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Lucky we that Andres guided us. What a lively, intense, patient, thoughtful encyclopedia of knowledge and wisdom he proved to be. Enjoyed the trails and beaches after our tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Loved the in-depth explanations of coffee growing, harvesting, roasting, and characteristics. Enjoyed the sugar cane and cacao presentations tastings.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Absolutely breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dani did a great job guiding us.

Transport

Nature Safari Float and Tortilla Making

Arenal/La Fortuna

Bryan and Abner made this trip fun. We enjoyed conversing with them on the rides to and from our hotel, floating down the river, and at the cacao presentation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel

Arenal/La Fortuna

Loved the different pools with varied temperatures. Exciting water slide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timely shuttles to/from villa. We never waited long.

Private: Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christian knew his stuff and pointed out flora and fauna we never would have noticed. He seemed to spend a lot of time looking at his cellphone during our lava flows walk. Would have appreciated more commentary during that.

Transport

We appreciate the driver stopping at a store so we could get things we needed.

We had a great trip to Costa Rica! kimkim set us up with hotels, guided activities, and transportation. Everything went very smoothly. All of the people we interacted with in Costa Rica (hotel and restaurant staff, guides, drivers, etc.) were very kind and welcoming. All of the guides were extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much more than we ever could have on our own. kimkim made trip planning easy and I wouldn't hesitate to use them for a future trip.

We actually don't know when Michael sleeps, he was super responsive and reassuring at all times - whether we were in the UK or in Colombia. We had an absolutely amazing trip with absolutely no hiccups or stresses, ever! All drivers were on time, the hotels - whilst varying in quality (due mainly to our budget), were all clean and well located and some were amazing and felt luxurious. All of our drivers were friendly, some had limited English but we enjoyed the challenge of trying to communicate in Spanish. We really did have a great trip and would strongly recommend anyone thinking of using Kim Kim to go ahead and do it - it will provide you with a fuss free trip which can be tailored to your tastes.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Punta Faro

Isla Mucura

Beautiful and peaceful hotel. Food was good, lots of it and decent variety. Beach amazing and the hotel is in a gorgeous setting. Very serene and luxurious overall experience. Nice selection of activities at the hotel (eg snorkelling, walk of the island, massages). Room was stunning, with lovely complimentary bath products. Service was very good. A little information about the room and hotel upon arrival would have been nice (I don't know whether others usually get information about breakfast, check-out, wifi, activities etc but we didn't). Very quiet on a night after dinner, there isn't really any comfortable seating/ atmosphere around the bar area which we would have enjoyed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Villa Colonial

Cartagena

Good location, on a slightly quieter street but very close to the bars. Friendly staff. Overall comfortable room, a little on the small side. A safe in the room would have been nice. Breakfast a little basic and lacking in choice but tasty enough.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very near to everything in Getsamani (our favourite bit of Cartagena), but surprisingly quiet hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quetzal Dorado Ecolodge

Zaino

We loved this hotel! The room was gorgeous and very serene. The staff/owner was very friendly and the food was very tasty. Overall service was great. No complaints, we loved it. Very convenient for visiting the national park (5 mins drive away, maybe less), nearby beaches also easily accessible by bus,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Campana Hotel Boutique

Medellín

Hotel room clean, but a bit dated and bathroom definitely needed an upgrade. Staff a bit less friendly here than elsewhere and no early check-in, which was a bit of a shame after a long journey to Medellin. Overall location pretty good, in el Poblado. Nice and quiet, could possibly have been a little bit closer to the action.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero

Salento

Overall lovely hotel, nice breakfast, friendly staff who even put rose petals on our bed for our honeymoon which was a lovely touch. Room comfortable and clean, although ours had no window (but looked out into the internal courtyard).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect, 5 mins walk from the main square, but on quiet street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique y Spa Terra Barichara

Barichara – Santander

Gorgeous hotel, excellent service (coffee on arrival), took bags to rooms. Very helpful staff, particularly one young man who went out of his way to assist us and try speaking in English to us (whose name we have forgotten). He even organised a cake for my husband's birthday. Very relaxing and honeymoony experience. Beautiful, big room, big bed. Lovely bathroom. Very clean. Nice pool area. Good massage. Hotel restaurant on site, food ok (but doesn't quite match the standard of the rest of the hotel) We would give this hotel 5 stars if the food and cocktails were just a little bit better.

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous

Location

10 mins by tuk tuk to Barichara

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel y Spa Getsemani

Villa de Leyva

Friendly, English-speaking staff Good massages and nice spa Good breakfast (less good coffee) Nice room

Authenticity & Character

Charming, nice little courtyard areas

Location

Very close to main square, but away from the madness. Quiet room.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

BH Bicentenario

Bogotá

Great breakfast Good location for exploring La Candelaria and nice view of the mountains from the window Room a little warm (in January), no A/C or fan Quite corporate in feel, but good hotel for first night away. Also appreciated the complimentary fruit for our honeymoon!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A little too warm in the room, but comfy big bed

Activity Reviews

Visit to San Basilio de Palenque

Cartagena

Palenque was like nowhere else we had visited in Colombia. It was a fascinating place to see and learn about the history. We had a driver, two guides who came with us and a further guide in Palenque, which felt a bit excessive. We were not quite sure why three guides were needed, it made the car journey a little cramped and uncomfortable. But the guides were very friendly nonetheless and we had an enjoyable trip. We really enjoyed the experience in the boxing gym and the local Palenque guides in particular were very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate & Rum Tasting

Cartagena

Juan was great. He was super friendly and his English was excellent. The whole experience was really fun, we appreciated the bits of food alongside the rum and the staff member that actually worked at the rum place who led the tour was also very friendly and was a great tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Tayrona is a must-do. This was stunning. The wildlife, the park, the beaches, everything is just beautiful and very relaxing. The guide was friendly, he had worked in the park for some time so was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picked up direct from hotel, guide sorted tickets and drove us through to the start of the park. All very stress free.

Tour Peñol & Guatapé

Medellín

This was our least favourite tour. In the pictures beforehand, Penol looked stunning so we were very excited about this. In reality, however, the boulder is just a tourist destination. The boulder itself was extremely busy, the queue in the carpark was long as was the queue up the boulder, the experience was all rather rushed and for our tastes, the natural beauty of the area is somewhat ruined by the overly-touristy feel of the boulder. We get the impression that perhaps once this was a great tourist destination but has now been a little "over-toured". The boulder is surrounded by tacky souvenir shops and fairground type attractions. We preferred the more intimate tours with smaller groups - this was a large bus tour which meant quite a lot more waiting around for other members of the group and less ability to interact with the guides and tailor the experience on the day. Guatape was a nice town, also very busy, but this part of the tour was definitely a much more pleasant experience for us. The restaurant food for lunch was of very average quality, however.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Cocora Valley, Coffee Farm & Salento

Salento

Carlos was AMAZING! He had so much energy and was clearly very passionate about the nature in the area. He had so much knowledge and made the tour a very interesting and enjoyable experience. He was also infectiously entertaining. We would definitely recommend Carlos as a tour guide. Cocora Valley is beautiful and the coffee farm was also a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Carlos took us to a restaurant between Salento and Cocora, this was the best authentic Colombian food we had the entire trip. It was delicious and was a place that Carlos obviously loved. Highly recommend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike from Barichara to Guane

Barichara

Pretty hike, guide was local and very friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diego picked us up from our hotel and took us straight there. (Diego was great!)

Horseback Riding in Villa de Leyva

Villa de Leyva

Overall we enjoyed the experience, I think there was a small hiccup with the driver who didn't arrive. But, the tour guide did and she quickly arranged for her husband to collect us from the hotel and take us to the horses. We really enjoyed the scenery around Villa de Leyva, which was beautiful. The horse owners/ guides were very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, English a little difficult to understand at times, but enjoyable experience nonetheless.

Transport

Original transport didn't arrive, but guide quickly sorted out alternative.

Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira

Colombia

Interesting and a nice stop on the way to Villa de Leyva. To the point out the obvious, it is a Cathedral, so the sculptures are all religious themed. - lots of crosses, this might not be for everyone. The cave itself is, however, very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Nicholas was a great guide

Transport

Bogotá Walking Tour

Bogotá

Nicholas was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable, excellent English and very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our whole experience with Kim Kim and Original Tours was wonderful. Everyone listened to what we were looking for and couldn't have been more accommodating to our wants and needs. While the cost of the trip was a bit pricey, we think it was worth every penny. All of our accommodations were outstanding and incredibly beautiful, our driver Soufyan did a fantastic job getting us everywhere and ensuring we were comfortable and well-cared for. Our tour guide in Marrakesh, Hanan, was so flexible, kind and informative. Mohammed at the Tiziri desert camp in Merzouga went so far above and beyond our expectations, helping me find my lost glasses. In sum, we loved our entire trip and would absolutely use and recommend Kim Kim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

Great hotel. Wonderful staff and food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Clean, excellent service, and most helpful staff. Big city hotel near most sites in Casablanca.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Loved this hotel! Wonderful owners and staff. Absolutely beautiful! We wish we could have stayed in Marrakesh longer and enjoyed more of the hotel amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

Beautiful hotel with wonderful staff. Wish we were there in warmer weather to enjoy the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Gorgeous hotel! Very comfortable with lovely staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Beautiful hotel and wonderful staff! The food was great too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Beautiful camp, delicious food, and the kindest, most attentive staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Mohammed and Mustafa were incredible

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Marrakech to Enchanting Essaouira

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide, Hanan, was great. She was very patient, kind, and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

Loved the dune rides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Loved this from start to finish

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an incredible Argentinian adventure thanks to Leandro, he was flexible, listened to our concerns, helped problem solve any issues and set up a memorable trip for us. We cannot pick only one breathtaking experience because we had so many. The Perito Moreno glacier and Upsala Glacier with the Estancia Cristina were perfect trips for us. Touring Mendoza with our guide Cecilia, the tastings and food pairing at Catena Zapata and Decero was indulgent and remarkable. Touring both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides of Iguazu Falls was impressive, especially the boat ride into the Falls. We loved Buenos Aires, the food tour was delicious and a great introduction to the city, our city tour launched us into every neighborhood with an incredible guide. We had a great gaucho experience with our guide Abril and ate too much asado. Thanks again Leandro for setting up such an amazing trip.

I'd like to thank and congratulate KimKim for your help and excellent organization during our trip to Peru.
When an alternative set of plans was suggested, as a result of problems in Machu Picchu, we were a little apprehensive.
The trip to the lodge in the Amazon was wonderful; and our guide, Rey, was a delightful character, with a wealth of knowledge about all things Amazon; his English was excellent, and he got his message over with ease and humour. He is a great ambassador for this region.
The flight to Nasca was also memorable, if a little disorganized. My main comment would be that heavy banking in the flight caused motion sickness in most of our party; something that might have been highlighted beforehand. Between this and the long delay in take-off, we were unable to avail of the wine-tasting and sand buggies. A pity, but not the end of the world.
Overall we were very happy with KimKim's cooperation and flexibility during our trip.
Thanks.

We had an amazing trip! Costa Rica is a beautiful place with so much to see and do! From the places to visit, excursions and accommodations, all of Veronica's suggestions were great, and the entire trip ran like clockwork. It was wonderful to know everything was planned and taken care of, and just be able to enjoy the experience. The tour companies - Green World Adventures, Desafio Adventure Company, Monteverde Experts and Iguana Tours - and every guide - John, Gabriel, Kathy, Andrey, Tony, Diogenes and Allen - were fantastic, very knowledgeable and friendly. We would absolutely plan our next trip with KimKim!

I wanted a very special birthday gift for my wife, Hanan, and I always knew that she is in love with Morocco and Moroccan traditions and culture.

Didn’t quite know where to start with the preparations, but in came Yassine and KimKim to the rescue.

From day one, planning this trip, I felt at ease with Yassine. The process was seemless. I changed my mind several times about the route we are to take and Yassine was very patient with me. More than my business, he wanted my comfort, content and happiness with the choices I made. Yassine was never pushy, answered all my questions efficiently and in a timely manner. He was connected with me during my preparations, travel, tours, and until the very last minute when we head home.

Going to a foreign country is never easy, especially not knowing the people, places, culture and traditions. That required experience and we hit the jackpot with our driver Said Misser. From the very first moment, we knew we had a good driver and guide. Said is well versed in the English language. My wife and I spoke Arabic, but the Moroccan dialect is unique and requires a great deal of ear training. Said was more than helpful getting us through some of the more challenging situations.

I didn’t realize that our driver would be the most integral part of our trip, but that is exactly what Said turned out to be. Doing a several city tour in any country is tough, Said made the long journeys between the imperial cities of Morocco memorable and special. He was kind, respectful, knowledgeable and most of all very friendly. Said treated us like family, which is a rare quality in today’s world, especially when you’re estranged from home. I believe that we’ve developed an everlasting friendship with Said, and would recommend him highly and wholeheartedly to any one taking a similar tour as ours.

Overall, the trip, guided tours, the city choices, the Ryad choices, food choices, and the mode of transportation were excellent.

If you’re planning your next visit to Morocco, I highly recommend Yassine and KimKim for your travel needs. The price is fair given the services rendered. When planning my next multi-city tour, I’d be sure to reach out to KimKim again for their services and expertise.

Jamal and Hanan Saadah.

We loved seeing the sights of Egypt and Jordan! Booking the trip went really well. Amr was very quick to respond considering the time difference. Our guide in Cairo Amir was very good! He's very knowledgeable and fun to be around. His English is perfect. All pick-ups were on time besides one. That was for the Nile dinner cruise. Every other time everyone was early. My favorite place to visit was Dashur. The pyramids are well preserved and almost no tour groups go there so it was very empty.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa

Sweimeh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old Village Resort

Wadi Musa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kempinski Nile Hotel

Cairo

Very nice hotel in a nice part of Cairo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa

Luxor, Luxor Governorate

Very nice hotel. The pool area is right on the Nile. It's a perfect place to relax.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is very friendly. Everyone greets you cheerfully

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

AMMAN /PETRA

Petra

We were surprised how big it is. A lot more walking than expected but it's worth it to see one of the wonders of the world.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valley of the Kings and Luxor Museum

Luxor

Seeing the tomb of Seti I was definitely the highlight. It's an expensive extra ticket but you get to see one of the best tombs with very few other visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to visit Pyramids& Sphinx and Old Egyptian Museum

Cairo

I loved that I had time to walk all around the Giza pyramids. Taking as much time as I wanted was definitely a plus of a private tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sakkara & Dahshour and Memphis

Egypt

Dahshour was my favorite. Not a busy place at all. It's cool to see amazing pyramids with no crowds of people.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dendarah temple and Abydos & Luxor temple

Luxor

It was a long day because Abydos is far from Luxor. It's definitely worth seeing though.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mahmoud was a great driver! We felt perfectly safe with him.

Valley of the Queens - Temple of Medinat Habu (Ramses III) - Ramsseum Temple

Luxor

This is a very cool place to see. Not a common stop so it's not crowded at all. Very unique to see where workers lived. The tomb of Nefertari was amazing to see. Well worth the extra ticket.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Petra - The Dead Sea

Petra

It was a very nice and relaxing end to a busy trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was 3 years in the making as Covid restrictions delayed our plans. Working with Randall was a god send! I have never felt more comfortable with someone that I haven’t met personally and only conversed with through emails and texting. Randall took our requirements and put together a 17 day trip that we will remember forever. The details of the itinerary were extremely helpful particularly when going on the different tours which included equipment & clothing requirements, pick up times, tour operators, and travel durations etc. We visited several national parks through guided tours and learned about the fauna and flora on both the Pacific, Caribbean and the inland mountains. Highly recommend going on guided hikes/walks and all the guides were amazing at spotting and learning about flora and fauna you wouldn’t pick up on your own. The trip was well balanced with excursions and down days were you could chill and relax when you wanted to. Also Randall and the Kim Kim were there if you needed them at all during the trip. Thanks so much Randall. Pura Vida!

We visited Costa Rica from Jan 4-18. We started in Tortuguero and finished in Manuel Antonio. We spent 2 nights in 5 different locations and 3 nights in Tamarindo. For the most part that was a perfect amount of time. However I do wish we had 3 nights in Manuel Antonio and a better hotel location in Arenal. The Kim Kim team was always easy to contact. The tour guides they work with are very good especially Marco in Tortuguero and Charlie in Arenal. We appreciated the good food we ate for breakfast and the kind workers at the lodges. All were very helpful. Don’t hesitate working with Kim Kim.
We did buy trip insurance since the payment amount due was several month before departure.

We felt that Kimkim was well worth the amount we paid for our trip to the Lake District in Chile. Every need was anticipated, all transfers were easy. On each leg of our trip, we had contact before, during, and after each new event was scheduled. A

Almost all of our guides and excursions were excellent. (we had one guide who really was unqualified, and were very disappointed with that, as we did not get to see some of the cultural offerings we were interested in). Our outdoor guides were tops, especially Consuelo, who headed our kayak excursion in Porto Varas, and reconfigured it well due to deteriorating weather; Juaquine in Porto Varas, who guided us in Alerce Andina National Park, with a wealth of information about flora and fauna, and Felipe in Pucon, who had extensive knowledge of geology, mountaineering, and botany. The hikes we did were varied and fascinating, and we couldn't have been happier.

We did not want luxury accommodations, and we were very happy with all of our hotels, most of which we were the only gringos in the guest list. All of the hotels were clean, all of the hosts were friendly, and all of the breakfasts were adequate.

I would not hesitate to book through kimkim again, as they really checked every box we had on our list.

This was our first time using kimkim, the experience was great and we will definitely use the service again!

Kimkim worked with Serendipity Adventures to plan our trip.
Communication with Sergio, Charlotte, and Nancy from SA, while planning and during the trip, was excellent.
Sergio tweaked our plan to accommodate our travel interests and created an itinerary that matched our requests. Charlotte and Nancy were both quickly reachable while we were in Costa Rica via WhatApp, this was a huge benefit as we made a few changes on the fly.

Prior to leaving we had some concerns regarding self driving in Costa Rica, after a call with Sergio we felt comfortable proceeding as planned. Self driving around Costa Rica allowed us to explore and stop as we wished, we felt safe. The winding roads through mountain elevation changes might be a bit much for some travelers.

Tours:

La Fortuna area-

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

This private tour was operated by Arenal Star. We were picked up by a van with a guide and driver. Nester was our guide for the entire day, his knowledge and passion for the local flora, fauna and ecosystem was outstanding. This package is a ‘do not miss’ tour.

Monteverde area-

Sky Adventures Zip Lines Monteverde Park

This is an amazing zipline system running through the jungle at high elevations up to 5,000 ft. The runs vary from 1/4 to 1/2 mile in length each; there are seven total cable runs. Be forewarned that this attraction operates in weather that would normally be considered dangerous in the United States. We had high wind and light rain accompanied by dense fog/clouds.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Don Juan coffee and chocolate tour is another 'do not miss'. A well organized and educational tour of the process involved in cocoa and coffee production also information about sugarcane.

Accommodations:

All were excellent and very different from each other. Rating on a 1-5 scale shown next to the property name below.

Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa-4

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens-5

Los Altos Resort-Quepos-5

As we travelled to both Chile and Argentina, we have broke our comments into two sections.

CHILE:
All told we are quite happy with our Chilean road trip, but if you are open to some points going forward,
here are my Chile notes and recommendations for future bookings.

-Santiago: quite happy with this our arrival and starting off point;
- Temuco: I would personally scratch the hotel stay here,as for the one night stay, it was constant 1 hr. traffic fight to go into the City and then the next day go back out the same way, once again passing the airport where we came in to then drive to Pucon, where I would recommend a two day stay there instead of one night in Temuco and only one in Pucon

- Pucon: beautiful spot;again saying two days here would have been better, as that way you could have the Guide there be able to do the tour to the Volcano, without the rush and having to pack the rental cars with the luggage, do the hike and then leave for Huilo-Huilo. As far the organized hike with Juan Paublo, you already got my report on using a rental car to go up the rugged mountain trail only suitable for 4 wheel drive jeeps and the problems that created.
- Hate to take business away from Juan Paublo, (JP) but I would suggest that hopefully JP or if not him or her another English speaking guide could pick up the customers in his or her 4 wheel drive Jeep to do the drive and hike, because we we’re very disappointed to miss that hike, due to the car unable to get up there.
- Huilo-Huilo: Magic Mountain: great experience,unique place.
-
- Valdivia: Sorry again to take possible business away from JP, as he is very nice and speaks very good English,but again a little rushed, as it is a 3 hr drive to get there and then JP was waiting for us upon arrival and immediately we had to go on a drive and hike, with barely catching our breath and then again with an unsuitable car to do the proposed hike , we had to change locations and did a simple short hike, not the one planned
- Suggest: giving the first day of arriving in Valdivia after the 3 hr drive, just a chance to do a Self day to look around as we didn’t get much of chance to see Valdivia, as you also had a full day excursion planned for the next day with JP.
- Speaking of the next day, again JP was not really needed as we drove out with him to cross the ferry to Corral and then had to go to the National Ranger office, to pick up their guide and go in his Jeep on a very rugged trail to see the ancient larch trees. We could have driven there ourselves and met the guide without having to use and pay for JP’s services, as the local guide ( Edmundo) could have been booked and expected us at a given time frame. JP wasn’t even aware he couldn’t go up there himself and we had to use their guide. We couldn’t have gone up anyway, as there is no way our car would haven’t made it.
- Puerto Varas: everything good
- Ancud: as this was over the day before New Year’s Eve, New Years Eve and New Year’s Day, hardly anything open. Understandable and no way around that.
- However suggest add the trip out to the Penguin colony in Punihuil as the day trip, as this we found on our own and it was less than an hour away from Ancud and the highlight of the area.

Thank you for the Chilean experience;

Mike and Pat Chatwin
Comox, BC
CANADA

Argentina

I had previously sent a recap of our journey and travel through Chile , to Oleksandra. The following is our time through Argentina.

First though, we would like to congratulate and applaud the fine work that mainly Oleksandra and then Axel and the Tour Company Tangol put into our package. It was definitely not easy to come up with a 40+ day travel package that included both Chile and Argentina, that we would be happy with , including a large portion of it been a self- drive holiday, trying to cover the main attraction spots in each country and to make it even harder; over the summer and Christmas/New Year holidays. So, thank you so much for arranging this.

Argentina

- We first travelled into Argentina by the experience of “Crossing the Lakes” . A series of : 3 Catamarans and 3 buses from Puerto Varas in Chile to Bariloche in Argentina. A very long 14 hr day , but definitely worth the experience.
- Bariloche: only down side to the Very touristy city of Bariloche was, we we’re there during the very peak summer season, so the population of the area triples during that time, which may have been the reason for some of the delays and hotel availability selections. In saying that, wouldn’t have chosen the Carlos V Hotel there, as it wasn’t on the drop off route for the buses and where we we’re dropped off, was a 4 block, uphill climb over uneven cobblestone roads, plus with a car rental arranged , the hotel has no parking spaces and it was near impossible to get parking anywhere near the hotel (3 blocks away for parking and extra 4,000 pesos for overnight, secure parking). Which , speaking of car rental there; as we didn’t arrive until 21:30, the arranged car rental office was closed, so would suggest not having the rental pickup arranged until the next day.
- **Both the El Chalten and El Calafate portions we’re wonderful . Great experience. Great hikes and extraordinary scenery. All transfers went well, no problems.
-
- Ushuaia: : A definite highlight portion. Hotel in walking distance to the town and the tours arranged we’re very interesting. Points to note though: as mentioned for the hike out at the National Park, credit card was not accepted and had to borrow money from the guide for entrance. Should tell future clients to expect this and have 5,500 pesos per person ready for the entry fee.
- Hike was very nice, as well as the lunch and rafting.
- Penguin Island cruise was a good day, but again as mentioned; good thing we checked the new vouchers with the old ones, as the two excursions we’re flipped on each day.
- ** As mentioned: When your contact company makes changes to the original vouchers, they should send a * Change note to both us and you, as the excursion dates we’re flipped for each day and almost missed it. That goes for Hotel changes as well, from the original vouchers .
-
- Mendoza : 3 days, there was plenty, as it was over a weekend,so a lot of places we’re closed; wineries, etc. But managed to get some driving sightseeing in and even a round of golf. Nice hotel.

- Salta: This was where it was too bad our original hotel (Marquis De Tojo) out in the country got changed to the one in the city of Salta ( The Inkai) , as we we’re to return here 3 different times and again very limited, to no parking and very busy area, with a lot of street construction going on. Thank you for changing the hotel on the last day.

- Purmamarca: Fantastic Mountain Village. Great hikesand dazzling coloured canyons. A ver interesting old western style town . Thoroughly enjoyed.

- Cachi: The Drive from Cachi was a sensational,long twisty road , with huge elevation changes that definitely kept you focused. The drive was the highlight , as by the time you got there, your pretty tired, and with only one night booked, not really enough time to look around ( two nights here would have been better).
-
- Cafayate: Again, same as above; the Drive was the highlight, as only one night , would have preferred two), as a nice hotel at the Wine Resort. Be warned: The drive from Cachi to Cafayate,along Route 40 is a long washboard track that you are constantly driving at approximately only 20-25 km’s an hour as you are being bounced around.BUT; the scenery through the canyons was spectacular. If at all possible the car rental in Argentina should be a SUV or something similar.
-
- Cafayate back to Salta: What could have been a spectacular , easy drive along the Canyon filled Route 68 , ended up due to a huge rainstorm and flooding the night before , being anything but relaxing. A 2.5 hr drive ended up taking 7.5 hrs and we we’re just lucky to even get through at all, with constant stops, flooded out roads and heavy eqpt working just to try to keep a small one lane mud path opened to let cars go through. Just back luck on our part, that the rains came when they did.

- Iguazu Falls: This is where once again where our hotel vouchers we’re changed from the original hotel to the Mercure Hotel. However, a nice change , as we we’re spoiled to be upgraded to this fabulous 5 star hotel.
- For the Excursions to the Falls; First the Argentina Side:
- Group tour with a guide that really a guide was not needed, nor the large group. As we had to leave early in the a.m. and got there at the same time as ALLLL the other large bus tours, which unfortunately put us ALL, on the same walkways, at the same time, causing turtle like walking and very limited opportunities to enjoy the view points. The guide doesn’t give any information of interest, just helps herd everyone.
- We would have rather gone out on our own for a 3,500 pesos taxi ride, later in the afternoon,when all the tour buses have departed and walked our own route, with far less people. Again credit cards did not go through, so ensure you have the 5,500 pesos per person for entry.
-
- Brazilian Side: Obviously guide needed to coordinate the border crossing . Credit cards did work here for entry.
- Spectacular views from this side and although still crowded due to the Summer Season, did not feel as congested. Fantastic views.

- Buenos Aires: final stop and as not city folk and really not liking the concrete jungle of big cities, but we had to come here to be able to fly back home through the International Airport. Just our bias opinion, some would probably love it. We did visit a few historic sites and had some nice meals and of course the highlight of the city having you arrange the most spectacular Tango Show and Dinner for us.

Leave to go back to Canada on Monday, and want to once again; thanks to all for putting this South America package together for us.
Mucho Gracias;

Michael and Patricia Chatwin
Comox, British Columbia
Canada
🇨🇦

Just amazing itinerary professionally organized and executed...
My third time in Argentina and by far my favorite experiences...

Looking forward to future adventure plans...

We had a great couple of weeks in Costa Rica, all planned through Kimkim and their agent Yuliana with Amazilla Travel in Costa Rica. Yuliana did a great job planning the trip following our, and our friends from Canada traveling with us, input on what to see and things we were interested in doing.
We travelled from Liberia to Monteverde by private transportation and knowledgeable guide that explained points of interest during the ~ 3 hour drive.
The Zip Line organized by Yuliana was fantastic. It worked out very well starting in the north cloud forest region first as it was a bit cooler but still very conformable mid 60’s to 70’s then making our way to lower elevations and south as the trip progressed. The accommodations were clean, comfortable and nice throughout the trip. Other main places visited included, La Fortune, Manuel Antonio and San Jose. Highlights were the Zip Line, Los Lagos hot springs resort, planned tours and hikes to beautiful water falls. Tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable which made the trip that must more enjoyable.
We learned a lot about the country, regions, culture, parks and animals through the organized tours so very glad we took them. All in all, it was a great trip, saw and did lots of things and had the right amount of down time. Would do it again.

Lorenzo & Helen C

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Amazing view of the ocean. Located in the hillside and close to the beach. Walking distance if you're a walker that doesn't mind steep hills. Local bus passed and stops near the hotel and other places of interest. Hotel grounds are well kept and a number of pools and great views. Restaurants are close by. Rooms are clean, spacious and great A/C.

Authenticity & Character

Location

View of the ocean.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

Well located in the heart of the city. Lots to see in within walking distance. As with many big cities, you will see some homeless people is some areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monteverde Country Lodge

Monteverde

Good accommodations. Its on a hill so walking to stores and restaurants is very tough. Can take taxi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

This is a very nice resort with lots of hot spring pools, things to do and good restaurant. The rooms are spacious and clean as are the grounds and facilities. The town is easy to get to and Uber was a good mode of transportation. Great view of the volcano from the resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located at the foot of the volcano and 5 minute drive to the town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San José City Tour

San José

City tour was informative and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Fun kayaking here. The guide was good and water calm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Rainforest Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Timing was right, if too raining you won't see the turquoise color, we were lucky and it was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Monteverde

Monteverde

Fun and tasty. Learned a few things about coffee and chocolate too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

These were amazing zip lines, 13 in total. Some long some short. Well run and safe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a beautiful and physically awesome trip. Kim Kim suggested the right excursions for us and how wonderful to not worry about transfer transportation.

Hotel Reviews

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Great views, nice room, and restaurant was good for a dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Lake vacation hotel with views and access to town and sites.

Location

Walkable to town or inexpensive taxi ride, and on the lake with wonderful views.

Staff

Very helpful and always smiling.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable room.

Dreams del Estrecho Hotel

Punta Arenas

Nice room, but casino on weekend was loud into the early hours of the morning(it is a casino after all).

Authenticity & Character

It is a casino hotel.

Location

Location and views good, but busy street to cross to get to town.

Staff

Not all that helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are very nice.

Hotel Boutique Le Reve

Santiago

Great location for food and drink.

Authenticity & Character

Boutique hotel with lovely garden.

Location

Multilevel restaurants in area

Staff

Very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Activity Review

Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon

Chile

You cannot top seeing a large Puma upclose.

Quality of Experience

Puma

Food

No vegetarian meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well based natural knowledge

Transport

On time