Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 16,674 ratings
Read 16,674 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

I was very impressed with KImKim Travel. We h...
Greece | Oct 1 - Oct 9, 2022

H
Holly E.
Mesa, AZ | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
I was very impressed with KImKim Travel. We had amazing guides who were very professional and knowledgeable. Everything ran very smoothly, with the exception of one driver being late but it did not impact our travel. Otherwise, the pickup drivers were punctual and took us to our destinations without any difficulty. I would not hesitate to use KimKim again and will recommend them to others! Read more

I was very impressed with KImKim Travel. We had amazing guides who were very professional and knowledgeable. Everything ran very smoothly, with the exception of one driver being late but it did not impact our travel. Otherwise, the pickup drivers were punctual and took us to our destinations without any difficulty. I would not hesitate to use KimKim again and will recommend them to others!

Hotel Review
Vouliagmeni Suites Athens
Vouliagmeni

A beautiful hotel! My only regret was that we were only here for one night.

Local specialist: Harris Bitsounis
Harris
Harris Bitsounis
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Oct 18, 2022

Dear Holly,

Thank you very much for your kind words! I am more than happy that you left our country with the best memories and you enjoyed each part of your trip. I will me more than happy to organize a future trip for all of you either in other destinations in Greece or in Italy.

I wish you safe travels!

King regards,
Harris

Ring Road September 5th - 12th
Iceland | Sep 5 - Sep 12, 2022

Lydia
Lydia S.
Mercer Island, WA | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
Emanuela was great to work with. We had a few starts and stops with our planning and each time she was flexible and understanding.
She provided us with options for our trip and each time we provided feedback, she came back with updates to the plan that better reflected what we wanted. She was very responsive and got back to us quickly each time we had a question.
Hotels were very nice and ones we wouldn't have found in our own searching. That was a nice perk of having someone who is...
Read more

Emanuela was great to work with. We had a few starts and stops with our planning and each time she was flexible and understanding.
She provided us with options for our trip and each time we provided feedback, she came back with updates to the plan that better reflected what we wanted. She was very responsive and got back to us quickly each time we had a question.
Hotels were very nice and ones we wouldn't have found in our own searching. That was a nice perk of having someone who is familiar with the area.
We drove the ring road and Emanuela provided detailed Google map driving directions with detailed stops of each attraction plus a few cafes and restaurants she recommended. This was so helpful.
She also was available and checked in on us during the trip. She was able to change some departure times for us on our last day.
Overall I would recommend working with Emanuela.
**Highlights**:
Zodiac boat tour among icebergs
Relaxing geothermal waters
Loads of waterfalls

The ring road has many worthwhile stops, but is very long so give yourself time at each waypoint to enjoy it while not feeling rushed. 8 days left us changing hotels almost every day.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Oct 18, 2022

Hi Lydia,
Thank you so much for your lovely words.
It has been a pleasure to connect and stay in touch before and during your trip and I am so happy we managed to create together a great trip to Iceland and that you had a great time.

All the best,
Emanuela

Rebecca and her team were beyond excellent. T...
Greece | Mar 21 - Mar 27, 2022

N
Ninad T.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022

Rebecca and her team were beyond excellent. They were in constant touch with my family, and the guides were pretty insightful, very friendly and helpful.

I generally do not do online reviews, but I felt strongly about this one. My family has beautiful memories from this trip and was certainly one of our bests. Thanks so much to Rebecca and her awesome team.

Local specialist: Rebecca Skevaki
Rebecca
Rebecca Skevaki
Local specialist in Greece | Replied on Nov 15, 2022

Dear Ninad,
thank you so much for this 5-star review. We really appreciate you being a customer and helping to share the word about us. We’re here for you next time you want to visit Greece!
Until then, take care!
Rebecca and the GrecianLux Team

Great trip
Brazil | Sep 12 - Sep 28, 2022

Ellen
Ellen G.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
From start to finish Rachel was incredible. She responded very quickly to all our messages before we booked and then while we were away, she was quick to help with any issues, including delayed flights etc ensuring guides met us at the new times. She ensured all the hotels and guides were appraised in advance of our comprehensive dietary requirements. While we were away for the last week the weather forecast was dreadful, with thunder and lightning. We spoke to Rachel, she and her... Read more

From start to finish Rachel was incredible. She responded very quickly to all our messages before we booked and then while we were away, she was quick to help with any issues, including delayed flights etc ensuring guides met us at the new times. She ensured all the hotels and guides were appraised in advance of our comprehensive dietary requirements.

While we were away for the last week the weather forecast was dreadful, with thunder and lightning. We spoke to Rachel, she and her colleague Paulo, didn’t hesitate to rearrange things for us. They got refunds where they could and re-booked the last part of our trip within 24 hours of the initial conversation about it. They could not have been more helpful, understanding and accommodating. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We were incredibly grateful as it made the last few days of our trip so relaxing and enjoyable.

Rio:
Hotel was nice, staff helpful and the breakfast was good. Plenty of options, including gluten / dairy free products and staff were able to assist with ingredients for other products.
Luis our guide was lovely. Knowledgeable and friendly. He made our tours educational and enjoyable. He mixed humour with information and we always felt very safe with him. His English was excellent and he was very helpful at the airport ensuring we got checked in and staff were able to assist us. Our extra tour with him was a bonus and we enjoyed that given the weather was not conducive to sitting on the beach!
Bike tour: This was the only aspect we were not happy with. The bikes were dreadful. They were very old, unsafe and didn't work properly. The gears kept slipping and the brakes didn't work well. The guide kept cycling off in the distance, not noticing that we had had to stop due to the bikes. He did switch bike with me at one point but it didn't help much as they were all as bad as each other. This spoilt the ride and we had to end it half way through to return the bikes as they were so difficult to ride. We felt as if he had chosen those bikes as the owner was a friend of his rather than they were good quality bikes that would be safe to ride.
We were appreciative of Rachel dealing with the issue swiftly and ensuring we were able to have the extra half day with Luis instead.

Pantanal:
We were disappointed by the condition of the room and dining room at the Pousada Rio Clara. The door handle fell off on the first day and was never fixed. The room itself is probably best described as shabby and in need of attention. There was nowhere to put clothes away, no wardrobe or drawers so we had to live out of suitcases on the floor which is not ideal. The dining room is best described as mess-hall style. The food was reasonable. We had made special requests which weren’t always followed and what was provided was basic and repetitive. It feels as if there is not enough funding, The staff all do multiple jobs on the property and so there are not enough available to ensure things are at a good standard. They are friendly and as helpful as they are able given the difficulties they seem to face.
The guide DJ was great, incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. We really enjoyed the boat trips most of all. The road safaris are a bit hit or miss as far as seeing animals which can’t be helped.

Foz do Iguazu
We were met by the very lovely Lurdes and the driver. She was so friendly and helpful, always trying hard to help us have the best experience, we were sad to say goodbye to her! She made the whole stay in Foz really special.
The Wish hotel was incredible, a huge property with a mix of property styles for the rooms. A lovely pool area and small pools adjacent to the properties. The restaurant was great, excellent choice of food at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Options for gluten free and very helpful staff.
Salvador
The guide was very friendly and helpful, giving advice as to where was and wasn’t safe to go while we were there. He also advised my husband to take off his fine gold chain. This did all make us feel quite vulnerable there as we were obviously tourists. The city was interesting in parts but the deprivation was sad to see.

Prai do Forte
Such a wonderful place to end our trip. Beautiful weather, a lovely hotel with incredibly helpful staff and a very nice local area, in walking distance, and a beautiful beach with white sand, palm trees and water as warm as a bath!

All in all we found that going through KimKim and the local agent worked really well. This was the first time we had used an agent, we usually book everything independently and don't have guides or drivers. We felt this was a really excellent way of travelling around Brazil and would have struggled without Rachel's advice, knowledge and help. We will recommend both KimKim and Rachel to anyone wanting to book!

Hotel Reviews
Arena Leme Hotel
Rio de Janeiro

Hotel was nice, staff helpful and the breakfast was good. Plenty of options, including gluten / dairy free products and staff were able to assist with ingredients for other products. Although our room faced the beach which was lovely, be aware there is street noise all night.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pousada Rio Claro
Poconé

We were disappointed by the condition of the room and dining room at the Pousada Rio Clara. The door handle fell off on the first day and was never fixed. The room itself is probably best described as shabby and in need of attention. There was nowhere to put clothes away, no wardrobe or drawers so we had to live out of suitcases on the floor which is not ideal. The dining room is best described as mess-hall style. The food was reasonable. We had made special requests which weren’t always followed and what was provided was basic and repetitive. It feels as if there is not enough funding, the staff all do multiple jobs on the property and so there are not enough available to ensure things are at a good standard. They are friendly and as helpful as they are able given the difficulties they seem to face.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wish Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguacu

The Wish hotel was incredible! Huge property with a mix of property styles for the rooms. A lovely pool area and small pools adjacent to the properties. The restaurant was great, excellent choice of food at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Options for gluten free and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Rachel Vita
Rachel
Rachel Vita
Local specialist in São Paulo | Replied on Oct 17, 2022

Hi Ellen!

Thank you so much for the review. Your comments are extremely important for us to improve our services.
It was a pleasure to welcome you here in Brazil. :)

Best,
Rachel

Great trip planning experience and even better travel experience
Norway | Sep 25 - Oct 6, 2022

Katie
Katie W.
San Francisco, CA | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
My husband and I had an excellent experience planning and booking our recent trip to Norway (including the Lofoten islands, Vesteralen and Oslo) with kimkim. From the start, we felt that Christina, our local specialist, was not only knowledgeable, but was listening to us regarding what we were hoping to get out of our trip. When she first sent our itinerary to us, it was awesome to see that she had included the balance of time outdoors and experiencing Norwegian people, food and culture that... Read more

My husband and I had an excellent experience planning and booking our recent trip to Norway (including the Lofoten islands, Vesteralen and Oslo) with kimkim. From the start, we felt that Christina, our local specialist, was not only knowledgeable, but was listening to us regarding what we were hoping to get out of our trip. When she first sent our itinerary to us, it was awesome to see that she had included the balance of time outdoors and experiencing Norwegian people, food and culture that we were hoping for. The locations that Christina recommended within Lofoten were absolutely stunning, and we felt that the pacing was a perfect - we were able to see a lot of different towns and parts of the region, but still have time to enjoy ourselves at each unique stay. Especially memorable was our stay with Lone at her family-owned guesthouse, Skagakaia, where we sat outside, staying warm next to a beautiful fire, watching the Northern Lights, full from her delicious home cooking. We also very much enjoyed our tour of Oslo with Stig, who described for us the past, present and future of Oslo as we walked around and learned even more about the people, culture and history. Since we had time left in Oslo after our tour with him, we were able to take him up on several of his wonderful recommendations for food and drinks. We appreciate all Christina and her colleagues and partners did to make this such a seamless and memorable vacation and trip for us. We wouldn't change a thing, and we highly recommend kimkim and plan to use the service again in the future. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews
Henningsvær Bryggehotell
Vagan

Beautiful hotel right on the water within walking distance to just about everything. Wonderful breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a warning that parking can be tight and guests may need to pay for parking if the hotel lot is full.
Staff
The staff were very accommodating to us in helping us do some laundry on site - thank you!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thon Hotel Terminus
Oslo

Wonderful location and friendly staff. Great hotel breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Svinøya Rorbuer
Svolvær

Beautiful place to stay, loved listening to the water at night. Very cozy and charming. Great restaurant with delicious food and friendly staff. Terrific location - easy to get to and easy parking!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Skagakaia

Beautiful place to stay. Lone is an amazing host and we felt so welcome in her guesthouse. Very cozy and charming. Lone is an amazing cook and we enjoyed every meal with her. Terrific location right on the water with some wonderful views and a sculpture park within walking distance - easy to get to and easy parking!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Lone is so sweet and a wonderful host. We enjoyed talking to her and learning from her about the area.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sakrisøy Rorbuer
Reine

Beautiful location and place to stay, loved listening to the water at night. Very cozy and charming. Kitchen is well equipped. Love having a fireplace and logs provided for a fire. Convenient location close to Anita's market and restaurant. Would stay here again in a heartbeat. It was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character
Pure coziness. Loved the personal touches, fireplace and well-equipped kitchen.
Location
Convenient location, yet right on the water. Couldn't ask for better.
Staff
Really appreciated the communication and help with our laundry - thank you!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean place!
Activity Reviews
Trollfjord Cruise
Trollfjord Cruise
Norway

This was great way to explore the fjords. Appreciate that the company is eco-conscious. We learned so much from expert guide, Julia, about the sensitive ecosystem in and around the fjords. Thank you!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Chase the Northern Lights in Svolvær
Chase the Northern Lights in Svolvær
Svolvær

Geir went out of his way to find conditions that could help us see Northern Lights - and we did! His enthusiasm for the Northern Lights is wonderful and contagious. It was endearing seeing him help budding photographers get the best shots of the Northern Lights that he could. This was the experience of a lifetime.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Oslo's hidden gems with a local expert
Explore Oslo's hidden gems with a local expert
Oslo

Stig loves Oslo and offered a fun and informative tour of Oslo that allowed us to explore its past, present and future. We learned about the culture, history and people, but also received personal suggestions from Stig regarding his favorite places to frequent throughout the city - without and pressure. Stig is a wonderful and enthusiastic tour guide! So glad we got to see the city he loves through his eyes!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Christina Wang
Christina
Christina Wang
Local specialist in Kristiansand, Norway | Replied on Oct 19, 2022

Hi Katie and Nathan.

Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a detailed review of your trip.
It warms my heart knowing you had such a great experience!

Thank you for letting me take part in your adventures with little updates a long the way.
It has been a pleasure planning with and following you!

I hope we get the chance to plan with you again one day.

Best,
Christina

We had an amazing trip to Morocco!
Morocco | Oct 10 - Oct 16, 2022

Allie
Allie R.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
We had an amazing trip to Morocco. I initially booked during 2020 and had to postpone. They were very accommodating and flexible and let me rebook at no cost for 2022. I traveled with my friend and we felt safe and taken care of the entire time. Our driver was Soufian and he was excellent! He made sure we had everything we needed and made the trips to each destination very easy. He was always on time, took us everywhere we wanted to go, stopped whenever we needed a break on the road,... Read more

We had an amazing trip to Morocco. I initially booked during 2020 and had to postpone. They were very accommodating and flexible and let me rebook at no cost for 2022.

I traveled with my friend and we felt safe and taken care of the entire time. Our driver was Soufian and he was excellent! He made sure we had everything we needed and made the trips to each destination very easy. He was always on time, took us everywhere we wanted to go, stopped whenever we needed a break on the road, translated for us, answered all our questions, and was very accommodating. Treated us like family!

Everyone we interacted with was so kind. Our tour guide through Marrakech, Oussama, was great as well! He gave us a great synopsis on the history of the city and helped us navigate the markets.

Big thank you to Kim Kim! It is a trip we will never forget.

Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Oct 16, 2022

Hi Allie,

Thanks for your 5-star review, it's highly appreciated.

We are so thrilled to learn that you had a great holiday in our fabulous country and you have enjoyed your trip to the fullest. Such compliments make our day and push us forward to keep providing our guests with top-notch services. I will pass on your positive feedback to our team and your driver Soufian in particular.

Thanks again and looking forward to having you again in our country.

Best Wishes,
Abdellah

Greece trip 2022 !
Greece | Sep 30 - Oct 15, 2022

Stephanie
Stephanie G.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
My fiancé and I used kimkim for the first time for our greece trip and it was a beyond amazing experience- Chris who helped us book it really seen our vision for the trip and helped us make it come true. During our 16 day trip Chris was in contact with us at some point everyday verifying tours / hotels / ferries / transfers where good. We really appreciated all the tours Chris set up for us we mostly did private tours but for the ones we did semi-private we had amazing young tour guides and a... Read more

My fiancé and I used kimkim for the first time for our greece trip and it was a beyond amazing experience- Chris who helped us book it really seen our vision for the trip and helped us make it come true. During our 16 day trip Chris was in contact with us at some point everyday verifying tours / hotels / ferries / transfers where good. We really appreciated all the tours Chris set up for us we mostly did private tours but for the ones we did semi-private we had amazing young tour guides and a younger group of people who we were able to connect with (this is something we haven’t always experienced with large groups so being with people your own age really makes the tour more enjoyable). During our trip we had a few weather issue with the ferry as well as a catamaran tour we had having Chris handled it so quickly causing us no delay in our current day and even booked us a new tour to help fill the day, not only did Chris make our arrangements with our hotel to verify we can stay the extra day in our current room when our ferry got canceled he also arranged everything with the next hotel for us as well and had it all handled without us even having to ask. Chris definitely went above and beyond with his help and guidance for our trip, he was always quick to respond to us and always was ahead of the game with a plan when needed. I want to also personally thank Chris for helping my fiancé plan a surprise engagement for me and also keeping it a secret! We have been recommending kimkim to everyone when they asked us we booked due to how impressed we were with the services we received- some small details from our experience- we had private pickups in Mercedes (every driver waited for us with a sign with our name), private fancy pickups for tours (all on time ),we had fast ferries to every location with assigned seats when applicable, we had fast pass in the airport for flights with fast security line and a special lounge, we received welcome gifts from hotels and tour guides as well as kimkim. We really feel Chris did a amazing job and would recommend him to anyone going to Greece !

Hotel Reviews
Mykonos View
Mykonos

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel, very easy location to the town (5 minutes walk to little Venice) breakfast was included with a large selection and had long hours. We got an upgraded room by the hotel and our room had everything we needed and was extremely clean. There is also a pool with a bar as well as restaurant with a large menu for lunch and dinner. You can have an amazing view of sunset from your balcony or the pool deck

Authenticity & Character
Location
Very walkable to the town
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Manos Small World Santorini
Santorini island

Hotel has an amazing view, staff was excellent and friendly! Breakfast on the balcony is amazing way to start the morning ! We informed the owner we just got engaged and to our surprise we received a bottle of wine and a letter congratulating us ! We really enjoyed our stay! Just a heads up the hotel has a lot of steps (along with all of santorini) but the hotel had our bags carried to and from the rooms for us which we really appreciated !

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Achilleas Hotel
Athens

Great hotel in the heart of the city ! We especially loved how every time we came in it smelled like fresh baked pastries! Hotel staff was excellent and very accommodating! We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mythology Naxos Villas & Suites
Naxos

This hotel was an excellent choice for the in room pool and view, however it’s a little far from the town(10 minute drive) - the hotel staff helped us get a rental car delivered to us which was beyond helpful! Hotel does not have a lobby but we did have hotel staff “what’s app” who was reachable to us 24/7 if needed! We really enjoyed our stay and the privacy this hotel had to offer! Definitely a great find for someone who just want to hangout locally around the area!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Private
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Extremely clean and newly updated
Paros Bay Hotel
Paros, Cyclades

Hotel rooms are extremely cute with great views ! We really enjoyed our stay! Hotel staff is extremely helpful and was able to help us have a ATV delivered to be able to explore the island. Hotel offers free breakfast with a big buffet as well as lunch / dinner and a full bar. Hotel is not walking distance to town but the hotel staff can help you arrange car service. We really enjoyed our room and our view of the ocean and loved how close we were to the beach. Pool area is very comfortable with lots of comfy chairs and rest areas as well as an outside kitchen

Authenticity & Character
Location
Secluded
Staff
Extremely helpful and friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Greek Cuisine Cooking Class
Greek Cuisine Cooking Class
Paros

Chef Maria was amazing, my fiancé, and I did a private cooking class, and it did not disappoint! We made a 6 course meal of all local foods and even leaned a Greek dance! This was one of the highlights of our trip the experience was beyond amazing ! Maria team was so nice and so helpful- we couldn’t believe how big the kitchen was for the class and all the amazing dishes we got to make and we even received a cookbook to take home !

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amazing very friendly
Transport
Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour
Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour
Athens

My fiancé and myself had a private tour with Natalia, she was so sweet and very knowledgeable! Her tour was awesome She showed us so many nice food and drink spots and took us all around the city! We really enjoyed the acropolis and got amazing pictures (she knew all the good locations). My fiancé and I both agree that the places she took us actually had the best gemesta and spinach pie !

Quality of Experience
Food
Great location and such authentic food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amazing and friendly
Transport
A journey through Naxian flavors
A journey through Naxian flavors
Naxos

We had tour guide alex, he was extremely helpful and knowledgeable of the area. He was very funny and knew his facts about the history of the island. Alex took us to a bunch of great food places and even a place with an amazing view of the bay. We really enjoyed our tour and being able to purchase local products from local shops. My fiancé and I ended up back at the cheese store multiple times to get more gifts to bring back as we loved the store quality and authenticity

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 16, 2022
Dear Stephanie, Thank you so very much for all these wonderful words and for providing such a complete overview of everything you enjoyed, it was an absolute pleasure working with both of you! A special moment was of course planning a secret engagement proposal on behalf of Harry, who kindly asked me to work in stealth mode for this, haha! I am very happy for both of you, congratulations on your engagement and I'm super happy that this was made in Greece! Thank you also for your kind words... Read more

Dear Stephanie,

Thank you so very much for all these wonderful words and for providing such a complete overview of everything you enjoyed, it was an absolute pleasure working with both of you! A special moment was of course planning a secret engagement proposal on behalf of Harry, who kindly asked me to work in stealth mode for this, haha! I am very happy for both of you, congratulations on your engagement and I'm super happy that this was made in Greece!

Thank you also for your kind words regarding the guides, the tours and the emergency troubleshooting, I am very happy that I was able to help and keep your trip and experience smooth and worry-free. I really hope to plan another trip for you in Greece and/or Italy, as a special honeymoon celebration?!

Wishing you a smooth and pleasant return to everyday life and all the best for your future!

Warm regards,
Chris

This was our second trip where we used KimKim...would definitely use them again
Peru | Oct 7 - Oct 14, 2022

Matt
Matt M.
Chattanooga, TN | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
This was our second trip where we used KimKim for trip planning - our first time to South America and I would never have figured out how to have planned this trip on my own - relying on local expertise for this was a must. Johanna, our agent, selected hotels, guides, and experiences I never would have found on my own - even though I'm generally the kind of person to try and plan 100% of all my own adventure travel. I kept up with how much this trip would have cost if I had planned it on my... Read more

This was our second trip where we used KimKim for trip planning - our first time to South America and I would never have figured out how to have planned this trip on my own - relying on local expertise for this was a must. Johanna, our agent, selected hotels, guides, and experiences I never would have found on my own - even though I'm generally the kind of person to try and plan 100% of all my own adventure travel. I kept up with how much this trip would have cost if I had planned it on my own (even though I would never have figured out how to put it together) and the "extra" you pay for using a travel agent was totally worth the expertise, advice, and options we picked. In fact, if I had tried to save a little $$ by doing this on my own the trip would not have turned out as well - so paying for someone like Johanna / KimKim is totally worth the money.

Hotel Reviews
Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport
Lima

The main appeal of this hotel is proximity to the airport - and for that reason I'd be willing to stay here even if it were a 2 star hotel. Food (dinner and breakfast) was marginal, service was acceptable (but not great), and they charge you for everything (you can't drink the water in the room yet they charge high rates for bottled water - for comparison our hotel in Cusco provided free bottled water and free filtered water in both the bathrooms and lobby). With Lima being an epi-center for food and service, I would have expected more from this hotel

Authenticity & Character
It's not exactly fair to compare this to the other hotels from our trip - it's just a corporate airport hotel - but I've stayed in much nicer airport hotels.
Location
It's right next to the airport - what can I say?
Staff
Not enough agents at check-in, English was a challenge
Cleanliness & Comfort
it's a simple, clean hotel
Casa del Sol
Machu Picchu

Great hotel - but you can't hold these hotels to the same standards as those in Cusco as the remote nature means their access to supplies is more challenging. I would definitely stay here again. Be sure to ask for a room that faces the river and not the city - when trains come through at night they are literally 10 feet from your window and it will wake you in the middle of the night.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Antigua Casona San Blas
Cusco

Great location, helpful staff, beautiful hotel / courtyard. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
San Blas is an area of Cusco that's super close to the main square / action. Great places to eat just a few steps outside the front door.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Peru

On our own - a great afternoon of exploring.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
no guides on this day - but hotel staff helpful with suggestions
Transport
super small car - you could probably save a little $$ and just take a taxi if you're comfortable with this in another country
Cusco Tour
Cusco Tour
Peru

excellent trip - definitely a better experience as a private group as you could ask more questions to the guide and move at your own pace

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Moray & Maras, and ATV Tour
Moray & Maras, and ATV Tour
Peru

This was OK but not the best part of the trip. We enjoyed it but with hindsight would have spent this time doing something a little different - a Sacred Valley tour with more time in Ollantanytambo. 4 wheelers not well-maintained but they worked just good enough. If you're being transported here be sure to have your guide / driver stop in Chinchero to see the locals manufacture sweaters and local materials. I wish we'd been able to spend more time here.

Quality of Experience
If you have plenty of time in your schedule, this isn't bad but if you're on a short trip I'd totally skip this.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)
Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)
Peru

The open circuit ticket is a great option if you can get it - allows for more options depending on crowds, weather. We had incredible weather and the experience was truly a bucket-list item. Our guide was a huge part of the expeirnece.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rainbow Mountain Trek
Rainbow Mountain Trek
Peru

Incredible experience - a long haul to get there but definitely worth the hike. It doesn't look exactly like the instagram photos you see (they've been run through Photoshop) but it's not far off - and it's truly remarkable / worth the day trip.

Quality of Experience
Food
The place we stopped to eat for breakfast and lunch was terrible - it's the pre-arranged place our operator always uses. Lots of canned food and not very authentic. There are better places along the way I'm sure (we talked to other hikers)
Guides, Drivers and Staff
EXCELLENT guide / driver!
Transport
Lunch Cooking Class
Lunch Cooking Class
Cusco

An AMAZING way to spend the day - we would have taken 2 classes from Chef Jesus if we'd known how much fun this was.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu
Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Fly from Cusco to Lima
Fly from Cusco to Lima
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Johanna Fabian
Johanna
Johanna Fabian
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Oct 27, 2022

Hi Matt,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a feedback. I have passed this along to my team so we can make improvements in the near future.
I'm so glad to hear you had a great time in Peru with your wife and how lucky you got with great weather on both days in Machu Picchu!

We hope to welcome you again!
Johanna

Felipe did an incredible job helping us plan ...
Colombia | Oct 9 - Oct 15, 2022

M
Melanie F.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
Felipe did an incredible job helping us plan our trip. He was very patient as we amended our itinerary a few times and recommended great places to see and restaurants. Couldn’t have made our trip to Colombia any easier and more enjoyable! Read more

Felipe did an incredible job helping us plan our trip. He was very patient as we amended our itinerary a few times and recommended great places to see and restaurants. Couldn’t have made our trip to Colombia any easier and more enjoyable!

Activity Review
Cocora Valley,  Salento, & Coffee Farm Visit
Cocora Valley,  Salento, & Coffee Farm Visit
Colombia
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Informative
Transport
Nice clean transport
Local specialist: Felipe Rico
Felipe
Felipe Rico
Local specialist in Bogota | Replied on Oct 16, 2022

Hi Mel,
Muchas Gracias! Thank you for traveling to Colombia and taking the time to write this review. It has been a pleasure meeting you and great to hear that you had a great time in Colombia :)! Sending you my Best Wishes!
Felipe

Nepal adventure
Nepal | Oct 6 - Oct 13, 2022

S
Sanjog P.
Walnut Creek, CA | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022

I want to say thanks to Kunchok and his team for a wonderful experience. My brother and I visited Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Nagarkot for a week long trip in October 2022. The trip was an adventure and we had the opportunity to trek, explore the towns, and go river rafting. Kunchok was an excellent host and made sure everything went smoothly. We had enough downtime to enjoy the experience and I highly recommend KimKim and Kunchok in particular.

Local specialist: Kunchok Nima
Kunchok
Kunchok Nima
Local specialist in Kathmandu , USA | Replied on Oct 17, 2022

Thank you Sandeep and Sanjog for the wonderful review. I did not know how one week pass so quickly. We had some aawesomme experiences . You guys are awesome !
Super glad to know that you guys had wonderful time. Thank you so much for you guys wonderful advice about life and all. Our dinner on last night was wonderful. Thank you . I am sure that this won't be the last time I'll be hosting you guys to Nepal.
Until then take care and see you guys soon . Everest waits for you guys , literally :)

Regards
Kunchok

Fabio Provides Outstanding Service
Italy | Oct 1 - Oct 9, 2022

F
frank e.
Aurora, OH | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022
Our trip to Italy was fantastic! Fabio helped us plan an excellent trip that included Rome, Florence, Siena and Cinque Terre. Fabio took care of all the details including arranging for: private tour guide for the Vatican, tours in Florence, private driver to Siena, tour of Cinque Terre. Our hotels were excellent and the restaurants recommended great. We look forward to visiting Italy again within the next year and will definitely use Kimkim and will request Fabio. Thank you to Kimkim... Read more

Our trip to Italy was fantastic! Fabio helped us plan an excellent trip that included Rome, Florence, Siena and Cinque Terre. Fabio took care of all the details including arranging for: private tour guide for the Vatican, tours in Florence, private driver to Siena, tour of Cinque Terre. Our hotels were excellent and the restaurants recommended great. We look forward to visiting Italy again within the next year and will definitely use Kimkim and will request Fabio.

Thank you to Kimkim and especially Fabio!

Hotel Review
Albergo Firenze
Florence

Excellent staff, clean rooms and ideally located in Florence. I will stay at Albergo Firenze on our next trip to Florence.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The staff and hotel lcoation.
Local specialist: Fabio Ilardi
Fabio
Fabio Ilardi
Local specialist in Como, Italy | Replied on Oct 18, 2022

Hi Frank,

Thank you so much for the kind words and for reviewing your Italian trip. I am so happy that you had fun and appreciated all the details Karen and I planned together.

It was great to communicate with you and your family throughout the itinerary and I am looking forward to supporting you again on your next trip to Italy :)

Ciao
Fabio

Awesome Morocco
Morocco | Sep 11 - Sep 17, 2022

M
Michael D.
the U.S. Virgin Islands | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022
Soufian, our guide, driver and restaurant finder was awesome! He made our trip fantastic and easy. It was our first guided tour in Morocco and we would definitely do it again. We made great friends and memories. Read more

Soufian, our guide, driver and restaurant finder was awesome! He made our trip fantastic and easy. It was our first guided tour in Morocco and we would definitely do it again. We made great friends and memories.

Hotel Review
Palais Sebban
Marrakech

We had an issue with our room the first night, and they made up for it with great responses! Highly recommend it.

Activity Reviews
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Fes

Wow! What an incredible loving and breathing organism the Medina is. It definitely comes more alive and real with a guide. Highly recommend the trip

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes
Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes
Morocco

Volubilis should not be missed! Get a guide to tour you around. Amazing Roman ruins.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Ali Moujane
Ali
Ali Moujane
Local specialist in Atlas Mountains | Replied on Oct 16, 2022

Hi Michael,

Thanks for leaving us your positive review, it's highly appreciated.
We are really glad to hear that you had a great experience in our gorgeous country and we lived up to your expectations.

Looking forward to having you again in our country.

Best Wishes,
Ali

I'm glad you didn't put a character limit on ...
Italy | Sep 20 - Oct 10, 2022

Matt
Matt N.
Massillon, OH | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022
I'm glad you didn't put a character limit on the review - this may take a while. I'll start by saying that we learned something new every day and had a great time doing it. The drivers (for the most part) were great and the tour guides amazed us with how easily they taught us about the history and every day living of the populace of centuries ago. The only downside we experienced on the trip was it forced us to realize we weren't 20 years old anymore. It would have been nice to not have... Read more

I'm glad you didn't put a character limit on the review - this may take a while. I'll start by saying that we learned something new every day and had a great time doing it. The drivers (for the most part) were great and the tour guides amazed us with how easily they taught us about the history and every day living of the populace of centuries ago. The only downside we experienced on the trip was it forced us to realize we weren't 20 years old anymore. It would have been nice to not have to get up early nearly day and rush through breakfast to get to the tour - or to have more down time during an afternoon. We always had a good time, but we were getting tired by the end of our trip.
Villa Poggiano was the perfect first stop. Fantastic staff, grounds, and meals. There was a small field in our back yard with a farmer plowing up the ground with a small tractor and a 2 bottom plow. It took him 3 days. In the U.S. - that would have been done in about 5 hours. Just shows a different pace of living. Montepulciano was a lovely little town where we fell in love with a small little wine bar and the various shops. The staff at Villa Poggiano was great about calling a cab for us if we needed one. The taxi drivers were a little crazy, but we found that to be true all over Italy. Our driver - Danny - went out of his way to make sure one of our travelers was able to get a needed medication that was left at home, and in the mean time, kept us fully engaged with stories.
Palazzo Niccolini is in keeping with the small boutique hotels that sometimes gave us a "WOW" factor when we first walked in because of the paintings in the rooms. Supposedly original and untouched over the years, but maybe someone should "touch" them. It appeared as though there were water drips running down the walls and they needed some help. Again - meals were great and the people were fantastic! I'm sorry I don't remember the name of our guide (Livitaly Tours), but she was very good.
Train - Florence to Rome. Once we figured out how to read the train schedules, we were ok, but still managed to exit the train 1 station early. Louise was able to contact the driver and he picked us up with no problem.
Hotel Modigliani - location was great. Meals and staff were, once again very good. The room was way to small - to the point where it was uncomfortable and I wouldn't recommend it. Our sunset Rome walking tour, with Riccardo as our guide, was super. He was (in my mind) so typical "Italian", speaking with his hands so much, that I had to video him for about a minute. It was a great tour and while my preconceived notion was to not expect much, I'm glad to say it wrong and I would highly recommend this. The private Vatican tour with Sam gave me a lot of "wow's" because of the art, but I didn't feel this was exactly what I would consider a "private" tour, and Sam could have moved a bit more often. The constant standing in one place was starting to drain my knees and feet and it seemed his voice was becoming a constant monotone. It's a fabulous place and I think a different guide might be able to add more than I got out of it.
Our private Colosseum tour was probably the highlight of all the places we visited. I'm sorry to say I forget the name of our tour guide because she was really good! (Liv Italy tours) Walking through the bowels of the Colosseum gave me the chills wandering all tunnels and trying to imagine what it was like thousands of year ago. Really, really great!
Train to Naples. No problem. We got off when we were supposed to! 😉 Driver to the Caruso Place Hotel was jerk. He drove like a maniac (although it appears as though that is common in Naples), gave us a brief - and inaccurate - description of how to get to the hotel, and then asked for a tip! (so I told him to drive slower) We wandered around and helped by a local shop keeper who called the hotel and Alessandra came to our rescue. She led the way to the lobby and helped us get checked in. This was absolutely the nicest hotel we stayed in during our 3 week trip. The pizza making class turned out to be much more entertaining than I had anticipated - something fun for tourists to go to. The Pompeii tour was quite eye opening. I had no idea that the digging had to go down so far to find the artifacts and quite amazing at how well preserved they were. I can't remember the guides name (again), but she was just the opposite of Sam when we did the Vatican. She kept on going at a rapid pace, but still explained everything as we went along. Could have slowed down a little, but better than just standing around. Other than the Colosseum, Naples was probably my favorite city in Italy - but the drivers are crazy!! Glad I didn't rent a car while I was there.
On to Greece. An alphabet that I'll never figure out. We probably laughed more, and more often, than any one time in Italy. It wasn't that things were boring in Italy, it just happened that we clicked with our guides. Arrival to Athens was uneventful. Our first stop - Zillers Boutique Hotel. Great place, but the highlight was the view of the rooftop bar at night. There - in all its' glory, is the Acropolis all lit up. It's like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time - all you can do is say "WOW!" Our tour guide the next day was Kiki. She was great at letting us catch our breath on the way up the hill, but still talking about the area or the ancient Greek society while resting. Somehow or other, she got us to the top but made it feel like we didn't work that hard. After that the rest of the tour was almost an afterthought. Kiki was one of the best guides we had if for no other reason than the pace she maintained. This was the one tour I was really looking forward to and it was overshadowed only by the Colosseum.
Our driver for the rest of the mainland was George. Always on time, always smiling, always a smooth and careful driver.
On our way to Olympia, we stopped at "My Precious Olive Tree". Ioanna was our guide. I thought this was just going to be a gimmick to sell us something, but we not only got lunch, we adopted an olive tree (thanks to Tasos). The best part was after lunch was over, we met Ioanna's father, mother, and the farm manager - Jimmy. Well, Jimmy is now my new best friend. He produced a small bottle of Tsipouro! Never had anything like it, and we drank and laughed and everyone had a great time! That was the hardest I've laughed in months. Great stop on the tour!! We finally made it to Olympia and while we weren't expecting a Marriott, but the Leonidaion certainly was step down from what the last couple weeks were. We all realized that we are not in a major hub, so the idea of a new, modern hotel was out of the question. It was clean, and breakfast was good, and Damion was a first class host always offering his help and giving us directions and making sure our dinner next door was taken care of. Great guy. The hotel? - you have to remember where you are. It was fine. The tour of Olympia was everything I was expecting. Nothing spectacular, but I wanted to see what it was like at the beginning. Lots of temples, statues, and pillars. Much the same as what we have already seen. Fortunately, our tour guide left time for us to sit and take pictures when we wanted. This tour might not be for everyone, but I'm glad we got to see it. Well worth the time. We also stopped at the Kilo Honey farm, met the owner, got a little tour and explained how it was all done. It took no effort and really wasn't out of the way, so I have no problem doing this.
Last stop on the mainland was Nafplio. What a cute little town. A big fortress on top of the hill to protect it years ago. Sitting right on the water, we had a front row seat to some extremely fancy yachts coming and going. Great little restaurants all over town. We stayed at the Amymone Suites hotel. No elevator to get our bags up to the 3rd floor, but we did have a balcony and breakfast next door at the Wild Duck was delicious. Our tour guide was Theo for evening and the next morning. There is more to be seen than meets the eye and while I wasn't thrilled with him in the evening, he earned his keep the next day. Our dinner the last night was from Alaloum restaurant (courtesy of Travel 12 - thank you) and it was fantastic! I had never had roast rooster before! Our final stop was a wine and farm tour at Venikos. Cate was our guide and by the end of the tour we were laughing like we were old best friends. The lunch was very good and they were kind enough to get me a beer when I told them I don't drink wine.
Last but not least - Santorini. The Ambassador Suites Hotel was listed as 5 star, and while it was nice, the up and down of all the steps (and there were many) would cause me to look for something else. ...but the view was great, the breakfasts were just about anything you want, and they have their own helipad - just in case. The second day was guided by Will from Argyros Travel, and he not only did a fantastic job showing us things that everyone wants to know about, by the end of the day he turned out to be everyone's best friend with a big group hug to say goodbye. Finally - our Catamaran cruise in the Caldera lagoon. What a perfect way to end the trip. The crew on board was top notch, and the food and drinks were never ending. We happen to be lucky in that we got a good group of people to help share the cruise with.

Hotel Review
Caruso Place Hotel
Naples

The best hotel we stayed at. The rooms were big and very comfortable. There was a beautiful galleria across the street and some great places to eat. The hard part was getting the bags up the front stairs, but if you knew there was a side entrance to avoid that, it was perfect!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Tasos Mylonas

Wow!!! I am speechless!!! My husband and I ...
Costa Rica | Sep 30 - Oct 4, 2022

Lisa
Lisa L.
Mason, OH | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022
Wow!!! I am speechless!!! My husband and I had the very best trip of our entire lives and we are absolutely convinced we will never go on another trip that could possibly be any better than this one!!! We love the outdoors and the jungle tour, the volcano hike, the waterfall excursion, rafting down the Blancas River, coffee tour, chocolate tour, cooking class, a volcano and the Howler Monkeys just outside our hotel room, the hotsprings, the beautiful hotel, the wonderful food!!! Anyone... Read more

Wow!!! I am speechless!!! My husband and I had the very best trip of our entire lives and we are absolutely convinced we will never go on another trip that could possibly be any better than this one!!! We love the outdoors and the jungle tour, the volcano hike, the waterfall excursion, rafting down the Blancas River, coffee tour, chocolate tour, cooking class, a volcano and the Howler Monkeys just outside our hotel room, the hotsprings, the beautiful hotel, the wonderful food!!! Anyone who loves the outdoors should take this exact trip!! Our tour guides were phenomenal!!! Alberto arranged the trip of a lifetime!!! We will never be the same!!! I miss my volcano and the sound of Howler Monkeys in the morning!!! Thanks to all who made our trip so special.
Tim and Lisa

Hotel Review
Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Fortuna

We know this hotel is the most beautiful one in the area with the best scenery!!! It was like being out in our own world because of the separation from town/other hotels. Room service was fabulous!!! The people who cleaned our room made the room spotless every day and even folded clothes we had draped over a bench. They made beautiful towel/flower jungle animals on our bed each morning after cleaning. All were very helpful and friendly at the front desk. Our included breakfast was phenomenal!!! Loved the rice and beans, the casava, the cheese, the French Toast, the freshly squeezed juice and fresh, local fruit, the beautiful view of the volcano with the huge windows wide open in the dining area as we ate. Loved the coffee too!!! I am convinced we stayed in the best hotel in the entire area!!! So beautiful!!! Such beautiful plants and flowers!!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
everything
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike
Arenal/La Fortuna

A must do 8-hour tour for those who want to experience the jungle, volcano and waterfall! If you love the outdoors and walking, you will love it. We saw every kind of bird, insect, plant, flower!!! Our tour guide was amazing!!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our first driver in from the airport told us to get up early to see the entire volcano every day before it clouds over and listen to the Howler Monkeys. We got up early every day and these experiences were some of the best part of our trip!!
Transport
so friendly, so concerned that you are comfortable, we asked one driver if he would take us a little out of the way to a bank machine as we were running low on funds. He acted like he would be happy to take us like he's used to this type of request everyday. Learned so much culture of Costa Rica from these drivers as every one grew up in Costa Rica.
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Costa Rica

I never realized how hard people have to work to make coffee!!! The coffee tour will make me appreciate coffee from now on!!! We bought coffeee for absolutely everyone back at home and they all thought it was delicious!!! Our chocolate that we made did not taste very good, but it gave me a big appreciation for how chocolate was made. Saw a lot of interesting plants on this tour--baby pineapple plant, multiple kinds of coffee, vanilla plant, etc.. We saw an extremely active sloth on this tour as well!!! Our tour guide was phenomenal!!!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner
Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner
Arenal/La Fortuna

Wow!!! What can we say???!!!! Kathy was an amazing instructor!!! We were with a couple on their honeymoon and we were on our 25th wedding anniversary trip. Kathy shared stories of her life growing up with her mom and told us about her daughter!!! We made a huge Costa Rican dinner and even made our own tortillas--my favorite thing we made. Kathy even emailed all of the recipes of everything we made, so we can try to replicate what we made there. Very nice addition to our trip and a suggestion by Alberto!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River
Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River
Arenal/La Fortuna

I am certain this tour was my very favorite on the trip! We floated down the Penas Blancas River in our raft with our guide and saw monkeys, iguanas, bamboo trees, you name it. So peaceful!!! Our guide here was very funny!!! We stopped halfway down the river and he wanted to know if we would like any pineapple. He took out his knife and said this was the way he learned to cut up pineapples in prison (very funny!!!). He cut the pineapple in fourths and then cut the pineapple from the rind and then cut triangular pieces and pushed them out every other one and kept them in the rind for a beautiful way to serve pineapple. I will use that!!! Very cool and nothing like eating pineapple in the jungle!!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Alberto Molina
Alberto
Alberto Molina
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Oct 17, 2022

Lisa thanks a lot for your kind words, I am really happy you enjoyed Costa Rica, you are always welcome.
Alberto

Wonderful trip
Wales | Oct 1 - Oct 12, 2022

Kathryn
Kathryn S.
Concord, NC | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022

Riki was our guide and he was wonderful. Not only did he drive us around, he gave us insight about his country both past and present. The personal touch made the trip very special as did his patience with our flinching on the back roads where everyone drove on the “wrong “ side.

Local specialist: Sarah Griffiths

Excellent trip with Kim Kim Travel
Spain | Sep 6 - Sep 29, 2022

Michelle
Michelle C.
Australia | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022
After a two year delay we finally got to start our trip from Australia to Spain & Portugal.
From the moment we landed in Spain everything that we planned with Sam and his team were in place.
From being collected at the airport, drivers, guides, hotels and updates along the way, everything was well organised. He even booked restaurants in each town for us.
Sam and Chaima kept in contact with us during our tour, making sure everything was going OK.
The details this team put together was...
Read more

After a two year delay we finally got to start our trip from Australia to Spain & Portugal.
From the moment we landed in Spain everything that we planned with Sam and his team were in place.
From being collected at the airport, drivers, guides, hotels and updates along the way, everything was well organised. He even booked restaurants in each town for us.
Sam and Chaima kept in contact with us during our tour, making sure everything was going OK.
The details this team put together was excellent from the length of time of tours, pickup times, guides names, recommendations in each place we stayed as to where to eat, shopping and sightseeing in free time.
All the drivers and guides were excellent with their care for our wellbeing and local knowledge.
All the accommodation was excellent and central to all attractions.
We would highly recommend Sam and his team for your travel needs in Spain and Portugal.
Sam thank you and your team for a wonderful experience we had a great time.

Hotel Reviews
H10 Duque de Loule
Lisboa

Great hotel with spacious rooms and very clean. The hotel had a great select for breakfast and all the staff were very helpful. It is in a very good location, short walk to the hop on hop off bus station starting point and close to a metro.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
H10 Casa de la Plata
Sevilla

This is a beautiful hotel centrally located in Seville. The staff were very friendly and helpful even helping to suggest restaurants and shopping. The rooms are comfortable and very clean. Can highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Casa 1800
Granada

This is a very charming hotel in a good location. The rooms were very spacious and clean and the bed was comfortable. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was a let down but this may be due to Covid impact. Overall this is a lovely hotel and I would recommend it.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Las Casas de la Juderia Hotel
Córdoba

This is a really beautiful charming hotel. The staff were very helpful and friendly. It is centrally located but still quiet. The rooms were spacious and very clean. Even though we only stayed one night we would of loved to stay more we would highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Iberostar Las Letras Gran Via
Madrid

We had a great room at the front of the hotel overlooking the main street. The room was very spacious and with a large bathroom. It was in a great location and the staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
L'and Hotel & Vineyards
Montemor-o-Novo

This hotel is in a very beautiful spot for relaxing. The hotel and rooms are very clean, rooms are very spacious and the bed was very comfortable. Good size pool and lovely vineyards to walk around. It is a little out of town so you do need transport of some kind. The breakfast here is great with lots of choices and the restaurant was great. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel One Shot Goldsmith Aliados
Porto

Lovely hotel in Porto. The rooms were very clean and large enough and the bed was very comfortable. Our rooms had great views of the town square. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
very central in town
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia
Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona

This tour was amazing, and the La Sagrada Familia is just something else. Having our guide Olga to explain this history was also very helpful. Highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Enjoy a Private Walking Tour of Porto
Enjoy a Private Walking Tour of Porto
Porto

This is a great tour taking in a lot of the city of Porto. Walking the streets gives you a great insight into Porto. Our guide was very helpful and answered all our questions.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Walking Tour of Madrid & the Prado Museum
Private Walking Tour of Madrid & the Prado Museum
Madrid

This was a great tour learning about Madrid's history and the museum was very interesting. Having a local guide who knows the history helps bring the town to life. Great tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Walk of the Gothic Quarter with Tapas Dinner
Guided Walk of the Gothic Quarter with Tapas Dinner
Barcelona

This was a great tour and our guide Olga was very informative. We learnt about the history and culture and enjoyed the walk around the city and enjoyed some tapas. Would definitely recommend this tour!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip to Toledo
Day Trip to Toledo
Madrid

This tour was excellent. This city is beautiful and its history is very interesting. Our guide was informative and help answer our many questions. Great day.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Lisbon with a Private Walking Tour
Explore Lisbon with a Private Walking Tour
Lisbon

Margarida was a wonderful guide for our walking tour in Lisbon. She provided so much information along the way and answered all our questions. We loved all the different parts of this tour. Great tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip All About Dali
Day Trip All About Dali
Spain

The trip to the home of Dali was a great day. Dali 's home is very quirky and interesting from the inside to the gardens to the beautiful seaside position it is located. The Dali museum again very interesting and worth seeing. Our guide Craig did a great job bringing its history to life for us and was very informative and helpful.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip to the Douro Valley  for a Wine Tour & River Cruise
Day Trip to the Douro Valley for a Wine Tour & River Cruise
Porto

Our guide Catarina helped make this a great day out for us. This day trip from Porto to the Douro Wine Region was great. The drive is very beautiful through the wine regions and the history of wine making is interesting. Sitting in the beautiful mountains sipping wine is a great day out.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Take a Day Trip to Magical Sintra & Cascais
Take a Day Trip to Magical Sintra & Cascais
Lisbon

This tour was a great day out. Our guide provided so much information along the way and the Palace was worth seeing. Stopping along the way at the Natural park and driving along the coast was great.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Flamenco & Tapas Tour
Private Flamenco & Tapas Tour
Seville

Our local guide Sam took us on a tour through Seville giving us information about this beautiful city. The tour included a local flamenco venue where we had the pleasure of watching a beautiful show with local artists. Sam explained the history behind a Flamenco performance. We then went on to enjoy a few tapas bars with excellent choices of food.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private City Tour of Seville
Private City Tour of Seville
Seville

Our guide Estela provided us with a great insight to this city. From the beautiful palace and its gardens to the Jew quarters and the Cathedral. She was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. Seville is a lovely place.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, via Ronda
Day Trip from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, via Ronda
Spain

The town of Rhonda is a must see. Our guide made this day very memorable proving us with information about the old and new town and the beautiful Rhonda bridge that joins them together. We enjoyed our walk through the streets and the Plaza De Toro's bullring and its history is interesting. This was a great day.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens
Private Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens
Granada

This was a great tour of the Alhambra. Our guide provided us with information along the way and answered our many questions. The building and gardens are amazing and the view over Granada was worth seeing. This is a really lovely town.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Tour of Córdoba
Private Tour of Córdoba
Córdoba

This tour was great. Our guide was very knowledge and answered many questions from us. The history behind the Mezquita mosque-Catholic church is interesting and our guide helped bring it to life. Exploring the winding streets and hearing the history was great.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sam Lister
Sam
Sam Lister
Local specialist in Sevilla, Spain | Replied on Oct 20, 2022

Hi Michelle,

Thank you so much for your kind words! Im so glad that after a long wait we could finally make it all happen and im glad we got to meet in Seville as well!

Un abrazo
Sam and Chaima

Thank you Amanda, Kripa and Subash
Nepal | Oct 7 - Oct 12, 2022

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Pania S.
Bangladesh | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2022
Thank you Amanda, Kripa and Subash for the most amazing trip to Nepal! Your excellent preparation, guidance, diligence and humour made every second of our trip so special. The atmosphere in Nepal is best described as simply magical and it doesn't take long until it pulls you in completely. Thanks to the "all in" service attitude of the wonderful kimkim team, we had nothing to worry about or take care of, we could just concentrate on soaking up all images and vibes of this beautiful... Read more

Thank you Amanda, Kripa and Subash for the most amazing trip to Nepal!

Your excellent preparation, guidance, diligence and humour made every second of our trip so special.

The atmosphere in Nepal is best described as simply magical and it doesn't take long until it pulls you in completely. Thanks to the "all in" service attitude of the wonderful kimkim team, we had nothing to worry about or take care of, we could just concentrate on soaking up all images and vibes of this beautiful country with its lovely, friendly people all around.

Our trip itinerary was worked out, hotels booked, every car ride arranged, meeting times scheduled, all planes trips organized for us - all we had to do was kick back, enjoy and not worry about a single thing! It all worked out like clockwork.

Amanda did an excellent job figuring out what exactly we wanted to see way before our trip, had a great upbeat attitude that made planning the trip even more fun. She understood perfectly well what we wanted to experience and she put it all into a very carefully selected and planned out itinerary. One that could only be worked out by someone knowing the country very well!

Kripa thank you for taking such good care of us during our stay in Nepal. You were the anchor and support who was always there in the background pulling all the strings and making miracles happen. It also felt great to have you call in and ask if everything is going well and if we are doing great. We felt very pampered!

Subash, our wonderful and very attentive guide showed us corners and customs of Nepal that we otherwise would never have found by ourselves. He paid close attention to where our interests were when we first met and catered exactly to our needs with the sights he showed us and the information he provided about them. As my teenage daughter was travelling with her nosy Mum, this was sometimes a stretch, but he managed beautifully! He was very finely in tune with us to always make the experience comfortable and interesting at the same time for both of us.

We have since returned and still Nepal is lingering in our thoughts and our bodies. And as well as this experience will always stay in our hearts and lives forever, so will it be tied to the people who helped create it.

Thank you very deeply to all of you
Namaste!

Hotel Review
The Dwarika’s Hotel
Kathmandu

Breathtaking hotel. Maybe the best I have ever stayed in!

Authenticity & Character
the architecture and furnishing of the rooms is one of a kind!
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Amanda Delecca

Chile Trip!
Chile | Oct 6 - Oct 11, 2022

Kevin
Kevin C.
Spartanburg, SC | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2022
Overall we had a wonderful trip! Chile is a very beautiful country and the people down there are very welcoming and accommodating. We met a lot of nice people down there including other tourists from around the world! I didn't know what to expect for it to be my first trip to South America. As far as our itenirary, we We met a lot of nice people down there including other tourists from around the world! it was planned out very nicely and our time was spent efficiently. We also appreciated the... Read more

Overall we had a wonderful trip! Chile is a very beautiful country and the people down there are very welcoming and accommodating. We met a lot of nice people down there including other tourists from around the world! I didn't know what to expect for it to be my first trip to South America. As far as our itenirary, we We met a lot of nice people down there including other tourists from around the world! it was planned out very nicely and our time was spent efficiently. We also appreciated the landmarks that were suggested as places to visit. Also, each days activities and directions were easy to follow and understand. As far as the activities, we are satisfied with each one overall. Our hotels were very good and met our expectations. We also appreciate that each one was relatively close to everything. Like I said before, overall it was a spectacular trip and we are glad we did it. Our trip planners and coordinators were very helpful and gave us timely updates and were very responsive to our questions and concerns.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Albatros
Punta Arenas

Everything you can expect from a 3-star hotel. It wasn't shabby or rundown. The rooms were about as nice as one could expect. There was a heater in each room that kept us nice and cozy being that the temps can get very cold at night depending on when you travel. I would just rate this hotel as being more of a "utility" hotel, meaning it serves its purpose and is good for what it is. There is nothing extra about it no amenities or anything like that. Would recommend staying there if you're not looking for anything too fancy or luxurious after all you are in Punta Arenas and not Dubai. The breakfast was good and they make it to order so that was nice.

Authenticity & Character
Felt like we were in a seaside lodge which us what you would expect from a town like Punta Arenas.
Location
It was relatively close and at the center of the town. Not too far of a distance to walk anywhere if need be.
Staff
They were helpful and showed us on a map the best spots to visit
Cleanliness & Comfort
It was very clean and the beds were very comfortable.
Amerindia Patagonia B&B
Puerto Natales

Another quaint and cozy hotel. Met all of our expectations and then some. The rooms were bigger than we anticipated. Also they had a heater in the room which was nice. I will say they don't give you washcloths, which I don't if that's just a policy of there B&B or what but yeah was a little disappointing. But overall, would recommend staying there.

Authenticity & Character
Very authentic, again felt like we were in a seaside port town
Location
Not too far from anything. Everything is either in waking distance or a short uber ride.
Staff
Very good staff. Showed us our room and very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable.
Activity Reviews
Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony
Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony
Punta Arenas

Everything is as advertised. You will definitely see tons of penguins on this excursion and even some seals from a distance. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Punta Arenas. One of us would say it was the highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures
Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures
Puerto Natales
Grey Glacier Boat Tour
Grey Glacier Boat Tour
Chile

Everything as advertised, terrific experience! Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided hike to Las Torres lookout [Central - Base - Central]
Guided hike to Las Torres lookout [Central - Base - Central]
Chile

This is one of the activities that if we could do over we probably would replace it with another activity. The park itself was awesome and beyond spectacular. However, it should've been emphasized that this hike is not for first time or beginner hikers. To be fair, it did say in the description that it was a "difficult" hike, but I dont think thats appropriate wording it should be "advanced". It is a very strenuous hike and if you go on a particularly windy day can even be life-risking (not hyperbole). Be warned this is not a hike for beginners. The guides that we had go at a particularly fast pace and they do not take long breaks. I think our longest break was 10 minutes! My wife had to turn around within the first 30 minutes of the hike and go back. I managed to make another 2 hours or so past Chileno but eventually had to turn back also. I would consider myself to be in pretty good shape and physical fitness. But there is a big difference to being in shape and being used to hiking. It takes a tremendous amount of stamina to go up and down a mountain for 8 hrs straight. If you're used to hiking and have done it a good amount of times this hike may be a breeze for you. But if this is your first time or second time I would not recommend. There are other hikes I think offered that are not as strenuous.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Felt like we were being rushed, not enough time for breaks
Transport
Local specialist: Erin Wiley
Erin
Erin Wiley
Local specialist in Puerto Natales & Pucon, Chile | Replied on Oct 18, 2022

Kevin! Thank you so very much for taking the time to leave these detailed reviews and provide such critical feedback. If it weren't for people like you we would not be at the level of planning and trip support that we are today and for that I thank you so very much.

All of your feedback has been dually noted and I just wanted to say that planning with you was also great. It is rare to plan with someone who is so on top of communication, easy going and kind.

All the best to you and yours!

The best possible adventure.
Iceland | Sep 7 - Sep 15, 2022

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Sabrina H.
Butte, MT | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2022
Francesca was incredible! She took our likes, dislikes, dietary restrictions, etc. into account and had incredible recommendations; she worked with us to make sure we had the best possible hotels for our budget, too. We had a minor hiccup when our plane couldn't land (weather at Keflavik) and were delayed a day, and she helped us to get refunds and to adjust our trip so that we didn't miss anything. Every time we talk about Iceland, I recommend KimKim and Francesca. She is the best! Read more

Francesca was incredible! She took our likes, dislikes, dietary restrictions, etc. into account and had incredible recommendations; she worked with us to make sure we had the best possible hotels for our budget, too. We had a minor hiccup when our plane couldn't land (weather at Keflavik) and were delayed a day, and she helped us to get refunds and to adjust our trip so that we didn't miss anything. Every time we talk about Iceland, I recommend KimKim and Francesca. She is the best!

Activity Review
Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure
Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Oct 14, 2022

Wow, thank you so much Sabrina! It was a pleasure working with you :)

A perfect trip made even better by the wonderful people of Morocco
Morocco | Sep 26 - Oct 7, 2022

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Robert G.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2022
Guide/Drivers: Hamid. Could not be better. Excellent safe driver, very good English, rich knowledge of places, history, customs. Always available (really, always!). Kept the car impeccably clean. Just perfect. Possibly the best driver/guide we ever had in our may years of world travels. Guides: only three(Volubilis, Fes, and Marrakesh): all excellent. Hotels/Riads: generally good to very good. In Rabat the service was poorly organized. The owner Aziz was mostly absent and left... Read more

Guide/Drivers: Hamid. Could not be better. Excellent safe driver, very good English, rich knowledge of places, history, customs. Always available (really, always!). Kept the car impeccably clean. Just perfect. Possibly the best driver/guide we ever had in our may years of world travels.

Guides: only three(Volubilis, Fes, and Marrakesh): all excellent.

Hotels/Riads: generally good to very good. In Rabat the service was poorly organized. The owner Aziz was mostly absent and left things in the hands of a very pleasant lady who did her best but did not know much of anything. I would not use it again. In Fes the place was great, but service was non-existent. Ouarzazate had the best combination of a nice place and excellent, attentive service. Marrakesh was also very good (location, facilities, and service). Our hotel in Casablanca was modern and clean, with standard American-like facilities. However, its location was poor and we could not even walk outside because the neighborhood had little or nothing to offer. A place by the ocean would have made our night in Casablanca more preasant.

Visits/excursions: all excellent. Well-chosen, interesting, well-organized visits. Zero negatives here!

Overall: a very satisfactory trip. The country is beautiful, all people we met were exceedingly polite and friendly and we experience no unpleasant events of any kind. We had read some highly critical reviews with alleged cheating, harassment, etc. We walked a lot on our own, day and night, asked for directions, talked to ordinary people (we speak French, which made it easier to reach a wider segment of the population), ate street food, and were always met with great kindness. Even shopping is a nice experience, bargaining is conducted with a light attitude and even if we decided not to buy something after some negotiations, we never experienced the anger or hostility we have seen in other countries.

Megan and Wanderlust were flexible, cooperative, and ready to make some changes when we asked them to do so. We are completely satisfied with the experience!

Hotel Reviews
Riad Almazhar
Rabat

Pleasant structure but managed almost in absentia.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
by being there!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad El Amine Fès
Fes
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
There was nobody around. One had to go to the kitchen or other odd places to find a staff member. When we arrived we were received only by a man who turned out to be the baggage carrier.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Paradis Du Sahara
Merzouga
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Very pleasant and eager to make us feel comfortable. Genuinely friendly. We had an delightful interaction with all the staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Considering it is a tent in the desert, it was just perfect!
Dar Chamaa
Ouarzazate
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Attentive and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Touda
Marrakech
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Radisson Blu Casablanca City Center
Casablanca
Authenticity & Character
American-style hotel. Confortable but no "character". Two poor and overpriced restaurants. resta
Location
Nothing nearby. The ocean is 5 km away.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
The Roman Ruins of Volubilis
The Roman Ruins of Volubilis
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tour Fes with a Private Guide
Tour Fes with a Private Guide
Fes
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Camel Trek into a Luxury Sahara Camp
Camel Trek into a Luxury Sahara Camp
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to Rissani
Visit to Rissani
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sahara to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge
Sahara to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ait Benhaddou, Tizi-n-Tichka Pass over the High Atlas, Marrakech
Ait Benhaddou, Tizi-n-Tichka Pass over the High Atlas, Marrakech
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Our driver (the same throughout the tour) Hamid was absolutely perfect in all respects. See general review
Tour Marrakech with a private guide
Tour Marrakech with a private guide
Marrakesh
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hassan II Mosque
Hassan II Mosque
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Megan Lower

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