Kimkim Trip Reviews

Dhanushka did an amazing job in understanding the sort of trip we were looking for a friend reunion, he was checking in regularly to make sure we were well taken care of and promptly took care of a couple of last-minute accommodation changes. The itinerary was well thought out, the very active parts of the trip at the beginning and then mellowing down towards the end.
Dhanuka, our tour guide was a bright and cheerful face that would greet us every morning as we took off on our excursion (s) for the day. He would check in to see if we wanted to stop by at an attraction that may not have been on the itinerary. He gave great recommendations for food. Dhanuka made the trip very memorable for us, he kept us safe and always gave us a heads up on any do's and don'ts.

I cant recommend Dhanuska and Dhanuka enough for such a well thought out and planned trip!

Both Julia and Fenne were super helpful during planning and in particular while we were traveling. Several unexpected changes occurred to our itinerary and both Julia and Fenne were immediately available to provide advice and expertise - including on the weekend.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel the Edge

Tromsø

Excellent hotel and room!! Great view. Would have appreciated access to coffee in lobby all day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very attentive!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Havila Cruise

Fosnavåg

Wonderful experience. No issues.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Apartments

Svolvær

A very nice hotel, but not well managed. Difficulty contacting our host to resolve simple issues like access to garage, etc. Once we were able to contact them they were helpful. Also, would have liked to see wash cloths, bath mat, cooking utensils, and more lighting in the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Excellent hotel! Rooms were a little dark and would like to see wash cloths in each bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wildlife Cruise

Tromsø

Excellent trip!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative!

Transport

Trollfjord and The White-Tailed Sea Eagles

Svolvær

Excellent trip!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nærøyfjord Cruise, Flåm & Stegastein Day Trip

Bergen

Excellent trip. No issues.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Walk with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

Guide was no-show.

Tina helped us to plan the perfect Croatia trip. She kept in contact not only during the planning process but the entire time we were there. She booked all our excursions, booked all our hotels and even our drivers. Everything was wonderful. Hotels were in the best location, drivers were professional, knowledgeable and a lot of fun and excursions were always with great guides. We really couldn’t have asked for anything more. Thank you so much Tina for everything you did :)

Activity Reviews

Split Food & History walking tour

Split

Although our guide was really friendly and fun to be with we found the restaurants cold and unwelcoming. Other than putting the food on the table there was zero connection

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full- day sailing Kornati - Telašćica

Zadar

Our skipper was awesome and we had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oyster tasting in Ston

Ston

So much fun!!! We learned a lot about harvesting oysters and then had a feast of both them and mussels.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer to Korčula through Ston

Croatia

Our driver was wonderful! Knowledgeable, friendly and fun to travel with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting Tour in Lumbarda

Korčula

Great guide and wonderful wine tasting experience. The best we’ve ever done…..ended with a boat ride home including champagne.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Julia did an amazing job helping me plan my Norway trip from Oslo to Narvis and then to Stockholm. The transportation (train, bus, and air) and lodging arrangements were all taken care of by Julia. She made the trip easy and instruction/directions were easy to follow. She also recommended tours which helped a lot. I would use Julia/KimKim again for my next trip!!

Hotel Reviews

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Narvik

Narvik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing Tour of the Lofoten Islands

Svolvær

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslofjord Evening Cruise with Prawn Buffet

Oslo

There was no Tour Guide on places we were seeing. And the Shrimp Buffet was crawfish (not shrimp) with only white Bread and Lettuce served. There should be a side-dish or REAL SHRIMP. I was expecting more food items.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro helped me and my husband plan our honeymoon trip to Ecuador and it was amazing! Our guides were very kind and knowledgeable. We learned not only about the area and history, but also about current events and daily life. We got to see beautiful mountains, the Amazon, artistic murals, and historical landmarks. The food was delicious and healthy. In the Galapagos we learned about wildlife and had many up close experiences with the animals. We felt very welcomed everywhere we went, and we can’t wait to come back for another adventure in Ecuador!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Loja Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Cute and spacious room! The pool wad nice and the hammocks were comfy. The boy at the front desk was fun to talk to and very kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Posada del Mar

Santa Cruz

Cute and spacious room. Nice view out the balcony and pretty flowers. The man at the front desk was always very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitu Hotel

Quito

The staff is very kind! The patio/balcony is really cute and the room was cute and cozy.

Authenticity & Character

Cute decorations

Location

Felt safe and is close to many food options

Staff

Everyone was nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the tortoises and lizards she wad telling us about! She was really fun to talk to and took pictures for us. There were so many tortoises when we went and we learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was fun to talk to and very passionate! I loved that she was ready to reinforce the rules of the Galapagos to anyone and protect the area. She clearly loves where she lives and works and she was a really great guide.

Transport

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Cuyabeno was beautiful and we saw so many plants and animals! The guides were nice snd knowledgeable and the food throughout the stay was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Mindo was really fun! Francisco was very knowledgeable about the area and was a great guide for this trip. We went ziplining, saw hunmingbirds and butterflies, toured a chocolate place and got lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip through Morrocco. Hakim our local specialist was always quick to respond to my many questions and was very knowledgeable. He provided great support and peace of mind to ensure that we had a very memorable holiday despite arriving in Morrocco a day after the earthquake.
Our trip highlight was our night in the Sahara desert which was very authentic with the camel ride and tents.

Mohammed our driver was very friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. The local guides we had in Fez and particularly in Marakesh were also very knowledgeable and friendly.

We enjoyed experiencing a culture , and way of life very different from our own

Hotel Reviews

Riad Chergui

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad El Yacout

Fès

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride and Overnight in the Desert via Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As a first time KimKim client, I didn’t know what to expect, however, I would highly recommend their service! Not only was the planning aspect easy and thorough; what really impressed me was the support we received while we were traveling, and how quickly we could access help when weather disrupted our plans. Additionally, the transportation vendors and guides they used were exceptionally prompt, kind and fun! Our Santorini drivers and especially our Amalfi coast driver, Rino, were some of the nicest people
we encountered! We especially appreciated our Botantical Garden tour and cooking lesson in Crete and the recommendation to go to Ergon in Athens…top notch experiences. Lina, our Knossos guide, stood out for her depth of knowledge and her ability to educate us so efficiently.
The Travel12 crew were at our fingertips via What’s App and also called me to make sure we had gotten and received messages. This was much appreciated.

Irene did a fabulous job introducing us to parts of the world we knew nothing about (Crete!) while incorporating some of the bucket list places we wanted to visit. We will use her again for any return visit to Greece!

Activity Review

Chania SUP Tour

Chania

Not to be missed!! This was a very special way to visit and experience the gorgeous waters and natural beauty of Crete. The guides were fun, caring and made everyone feel comfortable.

We had the best time in France. We worked with Vaseem. He was so helpful planning our trip. He had everything planned from picking us up at the airport, taking us to our hotel, to lining up cooking classes and booking our train tickets to wine country. We will definitely use KimKim again for future travels.

The trip has far exceeded any possible expectations from the sights the hotels and the people. Sofia and Carl were wonderful hosts who shared their home and special traditional dishes (one of the best of the entire trip!) that I’ll try to replicate. Luis took us for the day to a private wine tour where Catarina at the winery was delightfully refreshing with vast information on sustainability and the new vs old processes at the vineyards. The tour was fun and the pairings were very nice. We then went to the farm of a husband and wife school teachers at the small 200 tree olive farm told stories of the farm from his grandfather and their love and genuine appreciation of their roots and history was just so wonderful. They have 13 trees that are 2000 years old! We learned how to taste olive oil and purchased a few small bottles that we'll share with our story. And it all just got better! Hard to believe BUT Paulo was simply amazing sharing his knowledge of the castles, the history of the country, and his own personal life taking care to be sure we were okay along the steep hilly hike. He packed a homemade lunch that was so delicious and special. It was a day we all thoroughly enjoyed and was forever memorable. In Porto we started with an e-bike tour through town that was so much fun, racing downhill and enjoying the beautiful neighborhoods. Next, Nuno was very kind, gentle, and conscientious of everyone's well-being as he guided us through the National Forest where we hiked two areas and swam in two different water holes that were secluded, tranquil, and pristine. We took the train from Porto to Lisbon which was simple and comfortable - a nice way to go! Simply spectacular- everything !!! THANK YOU 🙏🏽

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dom Henrique Downtown

Porto

The hotel was nice comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

They made us feel like family visiting! I was very comfortable, clean, and in a good location. The dining room has the best pizza ever!!

Authenticity & Character

the views were wonderful

Location

great location! we were quite comfortable going for a hot dog 3 blocks away at 1:30 am!

Staff

they made us feel like family

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and comfortable with great views

NH Sintra Centro Hotel

Sintra

Nice people in the heart of Sintra. Wonderful views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

in the heart of town - accessible to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They were very thoughtful to have ready an extra bed in the perfect space for our son

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

The rooms are spectacular - very spacious and light. The hospitality was wonderful and the location was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very fresh, airy, light-filled, and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Peneda-Gerês National Park Experience: Easy Hike & Cultural Experience

Porto

Peneda-Gerês National Park is an amazing nature preserve with a tranquil water pool, secluded and welcoming for a quick soak. We learned about the wolf trap and reviewed the ruins of the trap. Then it was time for a hand-prepared lunch with an assortment of Portuguese foods, soup, and desserts. Finally, on the way back we hiked down to a few more pools and all took a good long peaceful soak. We also saw a working water-powered Olive press that was still revitalized each season by the locals for use. A great memory that we will never forget.

Quality of Experience

The trip into Partugal's natural forest was serene. The soaks in the natural pools are incredible.

Food

The meal they made for us after the hike was authentic and tasty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was Nuno's last day but he was attentive, held a wealth of knowledge, and very caring for each person.

Transport

A bit tight in the very back.

E-Bike Experience Through Historic Porto

Porto

This was our first time on an e-bike and it was great. Our guide knew his stuff and we rode the entire way along the river. We stopped along the way for photos and some history lessons. Then we went through the park seeing the famous Rooster/ chickens roaming about in the verdant flora.

Quality of Experience

Very fun ride!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was really patient, fun, and knowledgeable.

Transport

Loved the e-bikes! What a great way to see the city.

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Sintra was a magical experience made even more so by our fabulous guide, Paulo. He took us on the hidden route up to the castle while many others waited in cars. It was fantastic walking amongst there's ancient walls and then the castle was incredible. After the strenuous ascent, Palo made us a satisfying lunch of Iberian meats, cheeses, and wine. After we descended fully we had a small taste of the local liquor, ginjinha, and of course an espresso. It was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Paulo was an eclectic soul with a fascinating background and his depth of wisdom about Sintra was as breathtaking as the views and hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulo is truly amazing and his picnic was authentic and delicious. A very caring person.

Transport

Paulo had a nice car and spoke eloquently about the amazing things along the way.

Excursion to Alentejo - Jeep Safari Through a Cork Fork & Visit to an Olive Oil Estate

Lisbon

This was an amazing eco-friendly experience starting with the Jeep ride through the vineyards and then to their nature preserve. It was wonderful to hear how they were training the vineyards to grow deeper roots to access water so that no external watering would be needed. Then on the wonderful Olive Oil farm, where they produce the "Amor e' Cego" olive oil the traditional way eschewing modern mass farming techniques. João's message was inspirational and the tasting was intense. Finally, we went on a Cork tour where we all learned something about Cork and the multitude of products it can be made into. Did you know that the Cork tree is harvestable in 9 to 12 years? It is also sustainable without harming the tree.

Quality of Experience

It was a top-notch exprience unlike any other.

Food

They provided a wonderful cheese and Iberian ham plate and delicious wine from their vineyard.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis was personable and incredibly knowledgeable on all of the facets of the multiple excursions. Wonderful guide and driver!

Transport

Luis was great and the vehicle spacious.

Dinner With Locals: A Homemade Portuguese Experience

Lisbon

Sofia and Carlos were absolutely lovely - very hospitable and they shared their wonderful stories of their life in Portugal. It all sounded amazing. Sofia made a home-cooked meal that was the best meal of our entire trip! We won't forget this visit ever!

Quality of Experience

This experience afforded us an authentic view of the culture and food of Portugal.

Food

The food was amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos and Sofia were engaging and informative.

Transport

We too Uber to this destination.

Explore Lisbon by Electric Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

This was a nice start to our visit - a quick tour of the local highlights

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hugo seemed very knowledgeable

Transport

Our Travel Specialist- Chiara did a great job understanding our plan needs and then creating a plan than covered many needs before and after our cruise from Ravenna to our Milan departure.

Driver-specifically Stefano was excellent in meeting and welcoming us to Bologna and then being our driver for Parmesan Reggiano dairy and full day touring to Milan … he was on time and very professional with his driving.

Hotels — all were excellent and met our needs very well for being close to city centers, 3-4 stars and clean. We especially enjoyed the Bologna Hotel Metropolitan for the balcony/terrace on our room and then the rooftop lounge was wonderful evening spot. Milan Hotel De Spadari was outstanding for service and proximity to all of the key areas of Milan.

Guides— in Ravenna our guide Sylvia was very knowledgeable and comfortable to be with and was helpful about good restaurants in area.
Bologna- our walking food tour guide Mattea was great to walk us through the city area and provide explanations about food and traditions. We appreciated his concern about Gluten Free for Mary and providing options.
Parmesan Reggiano-Franseca was excellent in explaining and answering our questions about cheese making.
Modena Balsamic Vinegar-Magadelena did a wonderful job explaining and her best work was tasting/sampling Balsamic Vinegars.
Milan - Lara was our best guide because of her true passion for the history and helping us understand what and why are seeing the items. She was a genuine person that asked us questions and was enthusiastic along with being engaging.

We enjoyed our work with Storytelling and appreciated the daily check in’s. At first I was apprehensive not to have phone #’s for drivers and guides….but I let go of that concern after I saw how “on time” and drivers/guides show up where and when they were supposed to be!! Big point for us! We hope to use Kim Kim in the future for planning! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Spadari al Duomo

Milan

Loved the decor and location. Great hotel close to the city center

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

Metropolitan Hotel Bologna

Bologna

Excellent location, excellent balcony and great breakfast. Best of all was the Rooftop lounge and service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful upon checkin

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean bathroom area

Palazzo Bezzi

Ravenna

Authenticity & Character

Clean

Location

Close to City Center

Staff

Helpful with restaurants and reservations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese tasting tour (private)

Italy

The cheese tasting tour was very cool. It was great to be part of it and see all the processes. I really enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bologna Walking Tour - Food & Wine

Bologna

The food and wine tour in Bologna was fantastic. It was great to have those personal experiences and see everything firsthand. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were going to Morocco for a surfing trip and ended up adding an extra week for sightseeing. We met Sharon from Morocco Immersions on Kimkim. Sharon planned the entire trip considering our interests and available time. Excellent decision!
We saw so much of Morocco and the people there who are hardworking, welcoming, and warm hearted. We started & ended our trip in Marrakesh. Spent the first day visiting the souks by ourselves and then with a guide the 2nd day. It was a nice overview of this busy city with visits to local attractions. Enjoyed our time in the Medina.
We traveled to Boumaine Dades where we visited Alt Ben Haddou and later saw the majestic monkey fingers, large rock formation. It’s a beautiful, natural area with stunning views. Also spent a lovely day in the Valley of Roses. Had a family cooked meal of couscous, vegetables, and chicken all prepared with the food we purchased at the local market. We toured the family farm and interacted with some family who owned the villa there. Amnay was the perfect host. It was such an enjoyable day!
Next, we drove to Merzouga where we rode camels into the Sahara and camped in glamours tents with nice showers. I’ll never forget the camel ride which was such a cool experience. Next off to Agdz. We visited Khamlia and toured Kasbah Tamnougalt. All so educational and provided a glimpse of how many locals live in buildings that from the outside look in disrepair but once inside, you experience the homey quality of the lives they’ve made there.
Our journey continued to Taroudant, little Marrakesh”. We had a long walking tour of the area with a guide who knew so much and had the respect of so many locals as witnessed in their greetings. I really liked Taroudant! It seemed more manageable than Marrakesh. I never got the hang of haggling. We experienced our first major earthquake (6.8) there which was frightening but we managed well, and Sharon’s driver/manager Omar took good care of us. Most of the locals slept outside due to fear but my husband & I returned to the hotel to sleep. We did not feel the aftershock the next morning.
Got dropped off for our surfing camp for one week and then Omar picked us up and drove us to Marrakesh for the last two nights in Morocco. We walked around quite a bit, and I slept quite a bit. It had been a very busy 2 weeks for us 60+ year olds. Marrakesh was hit hard by the earthquake and damage was noticeable, especially around the Medina. Many locals were still camped out on the sidewalks and grass due to fear of staying inside or due to loss of homes. It was a sobering reality of the impact of a natural disaster. The people continued to work and help each other. We witnessed trucks being loaded with blankets for the Moroccans who were in the mountain regions that were hit very hard by the earthquake.
Want to add we visited Souktana in Province de Taroudant where they produce and sell “high quality” saffron. We enjoyed the tour and purchased (all prices marked/no haggling) saffron as gifts for our family and friends at home.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

We enjoyed this last property too. It was located well into the Medina in Marrakesh. We stayed two nights. The room was small but the high ceilings seemed to add space. The bathroom was particularly small. The shower was one of the more modern ones we had with an actual shower door to open and close. The beds were comfortable. The breakfast offered a variety of options and the service was timely and polite. The rooftop where we ate was extremely nice! I had thought we'd be spending our last two nights in Marrakesh in a hotel that was more like Hotel Ryads Barriere Le Naoura, westernized. The previous week we had been in a surfing camp in a villa that was lacking much and a bit light on safety, no armrail on marble stairs, scary with wet feet so was ready for western comforts. But, the stay at Riad Nesma was pleasant and, once we adapted, it proved comfortable and added a cultural touch to our last nights in Marrakesh. I'm grateful for having stayed there.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like a Moroccan hotel with simple pleasures there for the taking.

Location

Great location for quick access to souks/Medina

Staff

Excellent - they were quick to let us in at night after dinner. The doors are locked after you enter and exit so need someone to let you in. The young man quickly rose to help us leave for the airport at 6AM.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and slept great!

Palais Oumensour

Taroudant

Very nice older hotel with a lovely courtyard. It had a quaint, small town feel. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom with shower was located farther away from the sleeping area which was a nice touch. The front desk woman was so helpful, answering our many questions. She spoke very good English. We experienced the 6.8 earthquake at this property, after 11PM. It was scary to feel the room shake, at first felt like a large truck driving down the road, but intensified and we knew it was an earthquake, as other guests starting running past our door to get outside. We followed. The hotel night manager stayed with us in the courtyard. Our driver Omar checked in on us by phone. We stayed outside for 2 hours or so and then went back inside to bed. The pictures on the walls were all skewed and new cracks appeared on many of the walls with plaster/dust on the tile. We heard most of the locals slept outside that night for safety concerns, including our front desk lady. She lived there all her life as did her family and this was their first earthquake. It was truly a devastating event for Morocco and her people.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel felt like a foreign property in a very good way. An experience I thoroughly enjoyed!

Location

Great location for the "Little Marrakesh" town - walking distance to medina was easy.

Staff

Excellent, especially the front desk woman!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean! Food was tasty! Service was excellent!

Dar Hnini

Oulad Yahia Lagraire

Another beautiful hotel! We felt like the only guests there. We had a private dinner and breakfast on the scenic terrace where the pool was located. It was quite posh! The staff was excellent! They truly catered to our needs, and beyond. I slept very well. I will mention that the bathroom, though beautifully tiled and historical in design, was a bit awkward for showering. The tub narrowed on the bottom making it difficult to stand with both feed next to each other. You had to stand as if on a surfboard. I ended up washing my hair and body on my knees. Really not much to complain about. The hotel is lovely!

Authenticity & Character

Another wonderful Moroccan hospitality experience!

Location

Beautiful! The stay was short. We would have stayed another night if possible.

Staff

Excellent! The entire staff was superb!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!!! They even had a hairdryer!

Riad Madu Premium Camp

Merzouga

Nice glam camping experience! The tent had all we needed including a nice shower. It was very hot in the desert. All the warm clothes we packed were not needed. The service and food were good. There was some musical entertainment that added a bit of fun. The generator stopped working before bedtime but the hosts got it up and running so we had A/C for the night. The morning hike into the desert to watch the sun come up was beautiful! Wow, the stars were amazing too. The camel ride into camp & out of camp was a worthwhile experience. Our camel guide did a lot of walking and took pictures of us along the way. Some other guests rode ATV's out instead of the camels but I'm glad I rode the camel out. My husband & I had separate camel rides in & out from the other larger group of guests so it felt very special as we walked through the desert for ~1.5 hours each way.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were in the Moroccan desert! It was truly a unique experience!

Location

Our camp was small, maybe 10 tents for guests which was smaller than other camps we could see from afar.

Staff

The entire staff was helpful, friendly, and accommodating. It was a terrific experience!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tents were clean. I slept extremely well in the tent bed. No complaints!

Hôtel & Ryads Barrière Le Naoura

Marrakech

A very westernized lodging experience. It has all the comforts of home but in a more lavish way. The breakfast bar is amazing! The staff was warm and welcoming. The hotel is close to the souks/Medina. We took a lovely evening stroll from the hotel to the Medina where many Moroccan families were busy shopping and eating. I'd recommend taking such a stroll to experience the Marrakesh night life which is so different than Marrakesh by day. We felt perfectly safe strolling in the evening/night (~11PM).

Authenticity & Character

Though this hotel, of all the ones we stayed, was the most like those in the USA, it definitely has a Moroccan touch.

Location

Great location - easy walk to the Medina and attractions.

Staff

All were helpful and polite!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and well equipped. The welcoming bottled water and the snacks were a lovely touch!

Activity Reviews

Merzouga to Agdz

Morocco

We enjoyed the guided tour of Kasbach Tamnougalt.

Guided Tour of Taroudant

Taroudant

I really liked Little Marrakesh in Taroudant. This was a fun tour with lots of educational information. We learned about many of the reforms that King Mohammed VI made in Morocco including expanding education and raising the marriage age for young girls. We experienced our first major earthquake in Taroudant. The city suffered damage from the quake. I would have stayed more than one night if we had the time to do so.

Dades Valley to Merzouga Camel Trek via Todgha Gorge & Tinghir

Morocco

If you can travel to the Sahara while in Morocco, take the time to ride in the desert. It's a magical and impressive place with awesome stars and beautiful sunrises!

Quality of Experience

Fun experience - An opportunity I'm grateful to have taken!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All good - felt safe and really enjoyed the ride.

Transport

Camel ride was fun. The van ride out to the desert was a bit rugged. Our driver Omar opted to have a smaller vehicle pick us up on the return and he met us on the paved rode with the van. A really good decision!

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

Loved our day with a local family - shopping, cooking, and eating Moroccan couscous. We had a fun and educational tour of the farm and relaxed after lunch with some enjoyable conversations. Amnay was the perfect host. Omar, our driver/manager took us on many adventures as we traveled through Morocco.

Quality of Experience

Lots of fun and a real cultural experience - a must do!

Food

Excellent - the best couscous we had in Morocco!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amnay was fun to hang out with. Omar was fun as well and also shuttled us all over the place safely and with good conversation. It helped that Omar liked Karl's jokes!

Transport

Excellent - Many Thanks to Omar!!!

Marrakech to Dades Valley via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

This was a fun stop. We walked through a dry waterway to get to the ksar which provided a nice view on approach. It was historical and pleasant, with a much needed breeze because the temps were hot. Lots of uphill walking so wear comfortable shoes and sun protection. Several movies have been filmed here. A list of these movies is posted for viewing. There is a nice artist room where paintings and carving are made for purchase.

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We enjoyed the tour of Marrakesh. Our guide was knowledgeable and pleasant. He did not help us with haggling which I later learned he was supposed to have done so that was a bit disappointing. I never got the hang of haggling. It always felt overwhelming. We ended up not buying much in the Medina. I think with time, haggling would come. You really need to visit shops and get prices before you decide to purchase so you can determine a fair price. We never got to that stage.

My wife and I just finished a 12 day trip to Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Visby (on the island of Gotland). This was a bucket list trip and a birthday celebration. It was an amazing experience - the best vacation we have ever had!

Silvia at KimKim did a phenomenal job - all the way from the initial chats, finding out what we wanted and then making great suggestions. Our itinerary was complex - multiple cities, lots of activities and transfers to be booked.

There were so many highlights - from the scenic sightseeing cruises of the Oslo Fjords, canals of Copenhagen and the Stockholm archipelago. In Copenhagen we also did a very fun Segway tour and a walking guided gourmet tour to sample local delicacies and beers. Silvia suggested we include a trip to Visby on the island of Gotland, and we are so glad we did! Visby is a UNESCO World heritage site with an amazing history going back to the 12th century.

We are foodies and another highlight was an 18 course dinner at a Michelin star restaurant suggested and booked for us by Silvia!

We could never have come up with such an amazing itinerary, nor executed it so well. Silvia’s local knowledge and attention to detail made this vacation extra special.
She was always reachable, responded very quickly and helped us deal with a couple of minor logistical hiccups (which were not her fault). She was our guardian angel who always had our back. We cannot say enough good things about Silvia and this experience with Kimkim. If we could, we would give her 6 stars out of 5!

By the way, this is our second vacation with Kimkim. 6 years ago we used Kimkim and another guide for a week’s vacation in Costa Rica and that was a fabulous experience also.

We would highly recommend Kimkim for your vacation plans, and are so thankful that Silvia was our guide!

Our Mongolian Odyssey - Crystal at Premium Travel Mongolia crafted a bespoke itinerary for our Mongolian adventure, tailored to our unique requests and allowing us to see so much in a short time. Our guides, Zaya and Habak, were knowledgeable and passionate about their country's culture and rich history. The picturesque landscapes, idyllic rolling hills, and sparkling streams created the perfect getaway. Thank you, team, for putting together such an awe-inspiring trip!

Our guide Andrea was helpful throughout the panning process. He was responsive to last minute and on-the-ground changes to our itinerary. His knowledge of local attractions and restaurants was extremely helpful.

This is a long overdue review of a trip we made to Ecuador together with my friend Ewa in April this year. It was one of the best trips I have ever experienced in my life. Our trip was very professionally planned and organised by Mathias, who remained patient and cool even with our very late feedback [SIC!] or constantly changing ideas. Something we are certainly very grateful for.
Our itinerary included Galapagos, Cuenca, Ingapirca, Baños, Cotopaxi, Yasuni National Park and of course Quito and all of this in just … 13 days.
Galapagos is considered one of the world’s wonders for a reason with its beautiful landscapes, exotic creatures big and small, unspoiled nature, all of it makes the visit a once in a lifetime experience. We were staying in the Ikala hotel in Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz. It is a nice, family run hotel, clean with very friendly staff and an excellent restaurant. The hotel offered an early breakfast to go which was a very good idea when heading for day long boat trips to uninhabited islands (Bartolome and Seymour Norte in our case). Exploring Santa Cruz was also an adventure in itself and we were happy to have an extra free day on the island to explore Puerto Ayora and visit the stunning Tortuga Bay. I would also highly recommend a short, half a day visit, to a coffee farm which turned out to be a chocolate farm and aguardiente production site at the same time. Coffee, chocolate, and alcohol in one place, what more could one possibly dream of?
From Galapagos we headed back to the mainland. Cuenca is a unique example of the Spanish colonial architecture with a very vibrant community. We had an opportunity to visit the Panama hat factory, as well as several workshops in the villages nearby, continuing centuries long tradition of local crafts, such as jewellery making, textiles or ceramics. In moments like this you wish you would bring an extra bag or two to be able to bring back home more of those wonders. This was also an excellent opportunity to have a lot of interesting conversations. In Cuenca we stayed in the Hotel Boutique Santa Lucía which has a unique historic charm and a very good restaurant. From Cuenca we went to the archaeological site of Ingapirca, a place to visit if you like history and would like to learn something more about the soul of Ecuador. We visited Ingapirca in rain and fog, but it only added to the experience of mystery and contemplation.
Our next stop was Baños, where we got lucky with the weather, and we could admire the stunning views of the mountains and take advantage of all possible tourist attractions. A visit to the waterfalls is a must. We continued our trip through the volcano road to the bottom of Cotopaxi, again an unforgettable experience topped with a very nice meal at the nearby restaurant. My only regret was that we could not stay longer to do some longer hikes in the area.
The final stop of our trip was visiting the Yasuni National Park and Napo Cultural Center. I would never have thought that I would feel at home in the jungle. Yes, it is hot and humid and there are plenty of insects but the welcome by the local community, its unique hospitality and the unspoiled beauty of the place made an incredible impression on us. The accommodation was simple but clean and comfortable. We made several trips to the jungle (especially a night walk which was an experience in itself) with experienced local guides who were very keen on sharing their knowledge. The eco-lodge provides for the local community allowing it to remain close to the lifestyle of their ancestors and natural environment. It also provides for the local school where children can learn three languages (Kichwa, Spanish and English) which we found very impressive.
As we entered and departed Ecuador through Quito, the guided city tour was an excellent way to end our visit. While in Quito we also had an opportunity to visit the Oswaldo Guayasamín museum, which we would recommend visiting to anyone interested in arts and culture.
On our way back to the airport, a taxi driver asked us what we liked the best in Ecuador, I went speechless, but Ewa brilliantly replied: “gente” – people. We were so very lucky to meet extremely kind and welcoming people all along our journey, proud of their heritage but curious about others. This is why our special words of appreciation go to our two very special guides: Astrid and Milton. Astrid was our guide on Galapagos, and we could not have been luckier! Astrid is very knowledgeable, full of energy and has a sparkling personality; visiting the turtle refuge and the coffee farm with her was a real pleasure. We also haven’t enough words of praise for Milton our guide in Cuenca and further up through the avenue of the Volcanos. Milton is an excellent guide, a great companion, with a sense of humour who is never tired of the strangest question. Even in the most challenging of circumstances, as some parts of our journey were quite difficult because of the weather conditions and heavy rainfall when we had to take a detour around the Pan-American highway through the steep and muddy mountain roads, he kept his cool and we always felt very safe.

Lucie put together a terrific trip for us. Adil picked us up at the airport and was an excellent guide for our 6 day adventure. He shared his knowledge of the area and we learned a lot about Normandy and Brittany. His van was very comfortable for the four of us and he had water available if we needed it. We've been recommending kimkim whenever friends ask about our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Beaufort

Saint-Malo

Lovely room, ambience and location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the boardwalk with a wonderful view of the sea.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Bayeux

Bayeux

Reception didn’t have a reservation in my name. Thankfully we had asked our guide to wait until we were checked in before leaving. He knew our agents name and that is how the made the booking (the hotel, not the agent). The room was very worn; mold in the shower, extremely soft bed and pillows, thin towels. Air conditioner made a regular banging noise; we asked that it be fixed but we don’t think it was. Breakfast was okay, but a line for the coffee machine and the staff person only came out to ask for room numbers.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel le Dauphin Les Loges

Honfleur

Quaint hotel, narrow stairs. No air conditioning but a fan was provided; still hot. Very nice breakfast and staff.

Authenticity & Character

Great staff!

Location

Easy walking

Staff

Kind, patient and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stairs can be challenging.

Activity Reviews

Full-day visit of D-day beaches - U.S. sector (small group tour)

Bayeux

We covered a lot in one day. The guide was friendly and informative. She also gave us free time roy explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Celine was genuinely interested in the history of the area.

Transport

Comfortable van.

Visit to a cider mill

France

Charming and interesting but the visit was too long.

Visit of Giverny and Monet’s Garden

France

Just a beautiful way to start our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adil was always prompt, had great information and kept us informed.

Transport

Very comfortable van.

It was great. I felt really supported by the team. Our guides Dennis and Roger were really knowledgeable and friendly. Paul checked in with us to make sure we were okay when our flight was delayed without being prompted. I've never used a travel service before but this was a pleasant experience.

Fran crafted the perfect 2 week trip for me and my wife, and along with Kristy (also on the Kimkim team) made sure that everything went seamlessly.
They checked in regularly, and when things went sideways (as they can when traveling, or in our case when an airplane loses an engine shortly after takeoff resulting in [thank goodness only] missed connections) they jumped in to ensure we were looked after.
We also can not say enough good things about our guide and host through the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Machu Picchu, our friend Valerio. Travel with him if you can!
Our driver in Luma, Jean Carlos, was wonderful too. Please tell him I said to say, "I love you" again!
We will certainly book our next trip with Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Tambopata Research Center

Tambopata

This is named the Tambopata Research Center for a reason: it's in the middle of untouched rainforest. If you can't live without a blow dryer, don't stay here. If the thought of a bat flying past you is probably, don't stay here. And yes, there will be bugs, and rain, and heat. But if you want to stay in lovely, clean rooms, and eat delicious food, and experience the rainforest, then this is for you. The staff are great, and there are activities for all tastes. We'd go back again in a heartbeat!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

This hotel positively nails the authentic and character qualifications, plus it has a good location, and all sorts of amenities both in the hotel and right in the neighborhood. There was some kind of misunderstanding when we checked in about a deposit/pre-payment, but that was also quickly resolved. We greatly enjoyed our stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Aguas Calientes is a tourist town, but this location felt like a pleasant retreat from the buzz going on outside. It's central to everything, and the rooms and staff were all great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

We stayed at three different locations of the Casa Andina family of hotels during our trip to Lima, and they were all GREAT. But this was the best. The grounds were exquisite. The rooms were unique. Best of all, the staff were AMAZING! Gracious and helpful, and most knew our names without an introduction. There's not a ton to do / see by walking off the hotel grounds, but you're in the Sacred Valley: you didn't come here to see the hotel - use this as your home base for your adventures. Stay here if you can.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The entire team were wonderful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Andina Premium Miraflores

Lima

Could not be more central, and a short walk from countless fun places and great restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lunch at Mountainview

Peru

Aptly named for its location, this spot nails the sweet spot for a cool vibe, great food, and a modern but very authentic feel.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I arranged a side trip to Belgium from Amsterdam through KimKim. We went to Amsterdam to attend my son’s wedding. There were three separate ceremonies and a number of additional activities. After all the festivities, our goal was to enjoy some carefree traveling without any pressure and with all the plans made in advance. The travel plans through KimKim started in Amsterdam where we were picked up by an excellent driver with a nice van. The previous night, the driver and I texted and confirmed the pickup location and time. Our first stop was Brussels. The driver was friendly and very accommodating. We stopped along the way for coffee and a snack. We were safely delivered to our hotel, Hotel Dixseptieme, about midday. Our hotel and room were excellent. The daily breakfast was also top notch. In Brussels, we met up with my cousin who gave us a tour of the countryside and the city over the next two days. Nothing like having a local take care of our every need. Our next stop was Ghent on our way to Bruge. A driver was supposed to pick us up 9:30 but no one showed. I had texted the number the night before but did not get a response. I didn’t know I was texting a landline. When the driver didn’t show, I called the taxi company and they were unaware of the booking. I immediately called the emergency line and Meike went to work. Unfortunately a driver didn’t arrive until after 11:00 reducing our time in Ghent and making that day somewhat of a disappointment and hectic. The driver showed up in a little taxi and he was not familiar with Brussels. We were going around in circles trying to get out of town. Just about every road was under construction and we were rerouted at every turn. The driver was trying hard but the trip and miserable. Once we arrived in Ghent, we were met by a most pleasant guide,Christien Batsle, who walked us through the town and gave us history lessons and tales to embellish the beautiful surroundings. Our tour was cut short to make time for our scheduled boat tour. The tour included a chocolatier and a nice box of delicious chocolates. There was no time for lunch. We proceeded to the boat tour and got a different perspective of the charming little town. From there we scrambled back to the taxi where our driver took us on to Bruge in the same small taxi. The same driver and car was scheduled to drive us the final day to Antwerp and Amsterdam on the final day of our excursion. The driver was not happy with the plan and asked if we could find another driver from Antwerp to Amsterdam. I got back in touch with Meike requesting that she sort out the situation. When we arrived in Bruge we were exhausted and glad to have a nice room to relax in and a beautiful little historical hotel, Boutiquehotel ‘t Fraeyhuis, with beautiful grounds and restaurant. I asked the owner and front desk lady to help me find a driver for the final day drive. She and her brother called a couple companies, got prices and gave me the info that I passed along to Meike. Fortunately, the change was made and we had an excellent driver and car for the final day of our excursion. We spent two nights in Bruge. While the hotel was nice and everyone was very accommodating, it was problematic. There was no lift and we were up two and a half flights of narrow stairs which is fine for young able bodied people. My husband is 80 and has two replaced knees. He managed to get up and down, but there was no way for him to manage our luggage. For check in, there was a nice young man that happily helped us out. For our check out there were no men on duty. Two young ladies had to carry our bag down the stairs. We were so thankful for all of their help! The hotel and the staff were excellent and very professional. In Bruge we were met at the hotel for an extensive walking tour of the town. Our tour guide, Roland Schils, was very knowledgeable and happy to show us all over Bruge. Of all of the places we visited, I think Bruge was our favorite. We walked almost 12,000 steps on that tour. The following day we were picked up at the hotel and driven to Antwerp where we visited the Red Star Line Museum. My great grandparents immigrated to the US on one of their ships @ 1900. The museum is very interesting. The driver waited while we toured and then drove us back to our hotel in Amsterdam. Belgium is a delightful country to visit. I’m so glad that we were able to take this trip. With the exception of the transportation issues from Brussels to Bruge, we had an excellent trip. Meike got the problem resolved to our satisfaction. And I have to put a good word in for the poor taxi driver who had to drive from Ghent to pick us up in Brussels and then drive us back to Ghent, wait for us and then drive us on to Bruge. He was a very nice man who tried to do his best under the circumstances. Unfortunately his little hot, older, small taxi car was not his doing. Our knees were up against the front seats. This is maybe ok for a short taxi drive, but not for a long distance drive. His objection to the second drive to Amsterdam was a blessing.
I’m thankful that I asked for the phone numbers of the drivers and tour guides ahead of the trip and added them to my contacts. As Americans we make assumptions that hotels have elevators and cars have air conditioning. If we take another trip to Europe, we’ll be better prepared.

We had Emi as our agent and she was beyond amazing. First, she as patient with us as we had started our planning and we were figuring out our different options. Once we finalized that it looked like she found the best hotels for our needs. We have never gone to Europe and were hesitant about using and agent, but we are SO glad we did. We will be using KimKim for future travel!