Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had the experience of a lifetime in Peru! Jesus was so helpful in planning our trip with the restraints that we gave him. He worked with us on fitting all of our desired excursions in our timeframe. There were occasional delays in response time, but communication overall was very timely. Some of the transportation/timing details were not entirely clear to us at times. For me, the more details the better, so I would've appreciated being told things like where our driver would be waiting for us at the airport or what time we might expect to have free time to grab lunch on a given day. One big thing I was missing was transit time, as we often didn't know if we'd be in the car for 30 minutes or several hours until we actually got in the car and asked. I suggest always bringing extra snacks and water in case you're out and about longer than anticipated!

Here is how we spent our time in Peru!
1 free day in Lima: We walked around Miraflores and went to Museo Larco. The museum had lots of pre-Inca and Inca relics, which were so beautiful and fascinating. We had some trouble waiting on Uber rides and having them canceled, but we eventually got to where we wanted to go.
1 day in Cusco with walking tour: The flight from Lima to Cusco was short and sweet. We met our guide, Fredy, who would be with us for the rest of the week. The tour around Cusco was so interesting! We went during Holy Week, so we also got to see a huge gathering of people in the plaza celebrating. We got really good drinks at Museo del Pisco!
1 day exploring Incan ruins on the journey to Machu Picchu: Lots of really big rocks in really cool formations! One of our favorite parts of the whole trip was feeding the llamas, alpacas, and guanacos at Sulca. We got to participate in a traditional Inca dining experience called "pachamanca", which was so unique. When we finally got to Aguas Calientes outside of Machu Picchu, our hotel was right on the bank of a roaring river. We had a great dinner at Julian a couple doors down!
1 day at Machu Picchu: No words can describe this incredible experience. The views were just breathtaking! Afterwards, we explored Aguas Calientes a bit more and ended up renting swimsuits to go into the hot springs.
1 day hiking Palccoyo (unable to do Rainbow Mountain as originally planned): It was about a 4 hour drive to get here, which we didn't know until getting in the car. We also had to switch plans because Rainbow Mountain was closed due to disagreement among the communities. The hike was no joke in terms of elevation! The views were well worth the physical exertion, though. We had a beautiful picnic by a stream afterward, which was so lovely. When we got back to Cusco, we had dinner at Uchu, which was AMAZING!
1 free day in Cusco prior to departure: We got to explore more of the city and just take it all in before leaving :)

Hotel Review

Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Cusco

Being right on the river was so fun! Super convenient location right near the train and bus stops.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Machu Picchu Exploration

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Fredy shared so much rich history with us as we took in the iconic views!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus trip is a bit unsettling at some points, but the bus drivers seem like they really know what they're doing.

Amazing itinerary and client-focused service by Deb! The itinerary was fairly complex since we were visiting 4 countries, but the activity selection, local guide selection, accommodations, and the *numerous* transfers were all seamless. We are so happy with our trip, and could not have done it without flawless execution by Deb. She was also very mindful of our budget and we felt she maximized the experience and value based on what we had planned on spending. Also amazingly responsive during our vacation whenever we had questions.

Hotel Review

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

Great accommodations, *impeccable* hospitality, and Craig was an amazing safari guide! It was 100% the highlight of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Private reserve, and can view so many animals right from the lodge deck.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

E-biking Day Tour Stellenbosch to Franschhoek

South Africa

Beautiful way to experience Stellenbosch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip from Brussels to France was terrific. The itinerary was very doable with different things and tours each day and attention to helping us get from train to hotel and to place as well as to care rental. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the advice we received from Isabelle. The guides and transfers were handled by folks that Isabelle knew and had worked with previously so we were very comfortable with each.

Our only suggestion is to have a bit more information on the road book instead of relying on "see voucher" as not all vouchers provided the same level of detail. In particular - in a city where there are multiple train stations, indicate which station the ticket ends in - we had confusion with one situation where our train made an unexpected change.

Otherwise -- I would highly recommend Isabelle in particular and Kimkim in general.

Thanks for a great time.

Activity Review

Contemporary Food Tour in the Marais & Beyond

Paris

Guide was terrific and the experience was unique - great job Phillippe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We do not have words to express our experience. Amazing, Memorable, Beautiful, Hospitable, Kindness, Great, Picturesque, WOW….

In our travels to others countries before we never used a travel agency but knowing the language barrier and travel restrictions we decided to use a travel agency. After reading reviews about Abdullah and Mohammed from Original Travels on Kim Kim we decided to initiate the conversation and from Day 1 we only received guidance and support without a slight hint or push that we need to reserve our booking through them.
Mohammed provided us a detailed Itenary based on our likes, budget and dates. He was very through and quick to make changes as we reviewed and requested.. Most important point was he understood our family ( age group and planned to perfection). He made the planning part look so easy for us that we had no stress and concerns before travel.
Said our supervisor for the trip took over and oh boy!!! he was on call 24/7 from couple of days prior to our travel giving us all the needed information
What we need to pack?
What to expect?
Weather?
Driver?
Important phone numbers.
Any last minute requests we may have or any changes we may need to make to the Itenary or plans.
Every day morning and night we got a call asking if we are doing good and if anything needed that we would like for him to take care of. We felt like ROYALS - It is good knowing we had someone ensuring we are safe and are having fun. We made a request everyday ( Room, Wheel Chair, Reservation at a particular restaurant, and or shopping for particular) and Said ensures it was taken care of according to our needs. Went above and beyond !!!!
Ilyas : Our companion for the trip who stayed with us 24/7 and drove us to all the places. People may prefer to call him a driver but for us he was our companion and friend.Ilyas was in constant touch with Mohammed and Said and made sure they were aware of our needs. Very sweet, Patient, Knowledgeable, Kind, Hardworking and above all someone who cared and wanted us to have the time of our life. He took us to some beautiful places, kept us entertained in the car giving us the history lessons about the places we visited and made sure we enjoyed Morocco and see Morroco for the place it is - Beautiful and Hospitable.
Yousuf -( Tour Guide Chefchaouen ) was professional, full of energy and went above and beyond . A local from Chefchaouen , he gave us great insight on this little piece of heaven on earth.
Mohammed our tour guide in Fes was very experienced, extremely professional and paid attention to what we wanted to see . He navigated through the alleys of Fes’ Medina and took us to some most amazing shops for shopping.
Hanan our tour guide in Marrakech was so much fun to be with! She gave us thorough background on everything we saw , picked out best places to eat and shop . Anything we wanted she made sure we got the best deal!
We miss all these amazing people .
We cannot thank Original Travels enough for making our trip so memorable !

Hotel Review

Inara Desert Camp

Marrakech

One cannot call it camping ! It was glamping in the desert at this beautiful camp. Filled with most amazing hospitable people , breathtaking views of snow covered Atlas Mountains, this desert camp was absolutely perfect for our family. Our kids loved the quad rides, camel rides and the local musicians at dinner . At night we gazed at million stars that covered the sky and woke up at dawn to catch sunrise .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Tour of Chefchaoeun

Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen is a piece of heaven on earth. Beautifully, charming little town filled with most humble and hospitable folks. Our tour guide Yousuf , a local from Chefchaouen was absolutely amazing. He took us through picturesque spots in the beautiful blue colored town. Showed us amazing architectural features , gave us history of the place . We tasted fresh bread, freshly made cheese and so many deserts ! We would highly recommend him !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My mother and I traveled to Argentina in January of 2022 and had an amazing experience booking with KimKim.

Hotel Review

Calafate Parque Hotel

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

San Antonio de Areco & Estancia el Ombu

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A huge thank you to Tiago and his team! They made planning our trip, on short notice, a pleasure. The hotels, tour guides, restaurant recommendation and our travel book where all spot on! We will definitely be using KimKim again!

Erin is simply the best travel agent I have ever worked with. She spent time up front understanding how we wanted to travel and then helped create an itinerary to accomplish this. Her manner is low key, yet responsive. She suggested a unique experience to visit Estancia Mercedes which was one of the highlights of our trip. She stayed with us for 3 years as we rescheduled several times due to covid. She was timely and responsive to every request we made, offering suggestions of her own. On her day off she made sure that there was a backup person we could reach out to if necessary. This trip involved so many logistics due to covid and she coached us along the entire way, even sending reminders when it was time to upload an affidavit or take a covid test during the travel process. We received a detailed day by day itinerary that we both carried with us which was helpful as we navigated various modes of travel and experiences. I highly recommend her services.

Hotel Review

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

Great location and price. The beds in particular were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Nara met us at 1o pm to review our upcoming trip. She was pleasant, had all our materials and provided helpful information. We had one activity where we met a boat early in the morning at an out of the way spot and she even sent us a photo the night before to help us be sure we arrived at the correct location. This was useful since the cab driver used it to find our drop off location and we felt is was above and beyond by Lara.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Egypt earlier this month and were very impressed with all the arrangements. There was no hiccup on any of the logistics. Our accommodation was mostly first-class - especially the Kempinski in Cairo and the Old Cataract in Aswan. The only slightly disappointing one was the Ghaliat Eco-Lodge in Siwa. Firstly everything was served on single-use plastic - cups, plates, cutlery etc - but also it had nothing in the way of facilities - no bar, no WiFi, no hair-dryer, no ice etc etc. while it was relaxing, three nights was more than enough there.
Our main guide, Mohammad Shaarawy was outstanding - very knowledgeable on everything and had perfect English. He was also excellent company. Our main driver, also Mohammad, was equally outstanding and there was plenty of room on our mini-bus.
Our guide in Upper Egypt was not so outstanding- very heavily accented English and not as knowledgeable on Egyptology. Also he seemed to mess up on our plans for a hot-air balloon ride in Luxor, which we eventually could not take.
The Sonesta St. George boat was superb and we were very happy with the service, food and comfort.
Our airport collections and transfers worked very smoothly and the only change we would make again is to allow an extra day for this itinerary as it was really full-on most of the time.
We wanted to cover as much ground as possible and thus visited Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Nile Cruise, Luxor, Alexandria, El Alamein and Siwa all in a two-week period.
The highlights for us were going inside the Pyramids, Abu Simbel, Karnak Temple, Valley of Kings, the amazing Alexandria Bibliotheque, and the great Siwa Oasis
Overall we had a memorable trip and learned so much from the really informative guides and were very happy with the service provided by Egypt Promotions Ltd
Edmund

Activity Review

Visit Philae temple & High Dam and Check-in on board Nile cruise

Aswan

High Dam was disappointing compared to other dans we have seen - Kariba, Boulder- couldn’t see the size of it or the sluices and no working model nor tour of the operating of the dam.

We found Guatemala to be more friendly, cheaper, more interesting and way, way safer than the other Central American countries that we've toured, especially Mexico. We felt safe walking anywhere, excluding Guatemala City, including night. People are smiling and unusually kind, both to us and to each other. We did the standard Antigua, Tikal, Atitlan route. The latter was the most interesting, especially when we took an extra day to go to the villages the tourists don't normally visit. And though all guides and drivers were fine, Pedro in Atitlan was the best.

Special thanks to Eduardo at kimkim. He had to plan our trip 3 times (twice delayed due to Covid restrictions.) I ask lots of questions and requested many particular changes to the itinerary. He always responded quickly. During the trip he was very attentive, coming to our hotel to review things and always available on the phone. The only two issues we encountered occurred on Sunday nights and he was available and on top of it even then.

In Flores near Tikal, recommend staying at a hotel on the island, not the other side of the bridge and definitely not the El Patio hotel (we were moved upon request.) The 5 star hotels in Antigua, Camino Real and the Casa Santa Domingo (the latter built around museums and not to be missed) were fantastic. Every hotel, including the $50/nite Regis in Panajachel, included great breakfasts.

Tourism is still down 50% or more in Guatemala so take this opportunity to
Visit.

Charlotte was awesome, she created an itinerary which met our needs with a 7 yr old kid and we were yet able to cover a lot of activities including a dinner with a local Costa Rican family, which was the highlight of the trip!
Charlotte was easily reachable on text whenever we had any questions during the trip and even prior.
We wouldn’t have been able to explore and enjoy CR the way we did , if it wasn’t for Charlotte.
A true professional and an expert at what she does! Would highly recommend her to anyone!!

From the first inquiry and a phone conversation with Sharon everything fell into place. She put together our itinerary perfectly. Everything was smooth transition from place to place. Upon arrival we met our driver, Sallam, who instantly became family. Not only is he a safe driver but he is also concerned with any need you might have. He opened his home and family to us where we shared a meal as a family. That experience was priceless. All the tour guides at the different cities were full of knowledge and great. Our Morocco vacation was exceptional because we used them. Highly recommend them!

We contacted Kimkim in the fall of 2019 based on a referral, and once Croatia was mentioned we were put in touch with Antonia Ljuština - what a find!! Not only did she ask all the right questions, she patiently worked back and forth as our 13 year old granddaughter did her research and expanded her wish list. From the planning, the venues, to the incredible guides and finally her extraordinary service, we couldn’t have been happier. She was there for any questions, 24/7, always ensuring we were looked after regardless of the need. We are in our 70’s, have travelled extensively and have come to appreciate service that goes above and beyond. Our guides Ivana (Dubrovnik), Olga (our food guide in Split), another Ivana (Zadar), Grgo (Hvar), Ljerka (Pula) and finally saving the best for last, Josipa (Zagreb) - were all outstanding. Each place was unique with special memories of Hvar and the Truffle Hunt in Motovun. The seafood in these beautiful coastal venues was exquisite and Josipa’s recommendation for authentic Croatian cuisine in Zagreb was a perfect ending to a magical trip. Of the five grandchildren we have taken through Europe this adventure was the best organized, informative and memorable. Antonia created experiences we 3 will cherish forever.

We just returned from a 9 day trip to Morocco. We traveled as a family of four including myself, my wife and our 10 year old son and 12 year old daughter. Planning the trip was easy and straightforward with Abdel. He answered our questions promptly and with lots of detail. He adjusted the trip to meet our specific needs multiple times. Once locked in, he made all the booking for us and kept us in the loop if there were any changes.
Upon arrival, our guide Karim picked us up from the airport and welcomed us like family. He was punctual, professional, courteous and kind to us throughout. He offered himself and his country to us from his heart and by the end, we felt that he became a part of our family.
We have traveled across the world on our own and in retrospect, we could have easily done the tour of Morocco on our own but it would not have been even close to the same as the trip we experienced with Original travel and especially with Karim. His local knowledge and personal touch made all the difference. We traveled during Ramadan when most restaurants esp in the remote areas are closed for lunch but Karim made sure we were taken care of every single day including lunch with a berber friends family (who welcomed us with open arms) in a small town and a unique Moroccan barbeque by the river. He showed us details we would never have found and through a perspective only a trained local tour guide can offer.
I hope to book another trip to Morocco using Original travel and especially with (my brother) Karim in the future. For those considering this journey, Book with confidence and then prepare yourself for a trip of a lifetime where all you will need to do is to keep an open mind.

Hotel selection was perfect. Best hotel was Naraya Springs, Finca Rosa Blanca and Tulemar were a close second. The Belmar was just OK, but, not great. It would be good to suggest to travelers that distances are great and the ride between points is 3-4 hours in less than great vans. Bottom line-allow more time in each stop than we did. Hanging bridges was fantastic but rather arduous for a person with compromised knees or hips. It is not flat walking. Cloud forest would be better if there were clouds, but, there were none on our trip. Tulemar was great with the private beach, very good experience. The sunset cruise was also very pleasant and a good option for a more relaxed excursion. Snorkeling not so great in this area.

Hotel Review

Nayara Springs - Adults Only

Fortuna

This hotel was fantastic. Everything about it was great. Beautiful setting. Very large room. Private plunge pool and outdoor shower were big plusses. Hotel also provides 24 hour turn free laundry. The included breakfasts were amazing, great food. All of the staff of this property are very customer focused and do a great job.

Tips for future travelers

Stay more than 2 days.

Authenticity & Character

Set in the jungle and you feel very private.

Location

Close to the Arenal attractions

Staff

Everyone pleasant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and very comfortable.

Activity Review

Private: Sunset Cruise with Wine & Cheese on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very attentive crew that worked very hard at making this a nice leisurely trip.

Quality of Experience

As advertised exactly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They worked really hard at pleasing everyone.

Transport

Bad AC on bus.

Diego truly did an *incredible* job planning our trip. He made the whole experience seamless, and whenever we hit any snags (which were few and very minor), Diego's communication was consistently responsive and helpful, and he always got things back on track immediately if needed. The activities he guided us to were amazing experiences and the transportation was just so easy! We loved all three locations (La Fortuna/Monteverde/Manuel Antonio) and were absolutely DELIGHTED with each place Diego picked for us to stay: each was so different, a bungalo suite and hot spring hotel in La Fortuna, a delightful spa hotel in Monteverde with a beautiful view and grounds, and a *gorgeous* beach hotel in Manuel Antonio; each place we couldn't think could be topped, and offered such a unique, comfortable and hospitable experience with amazing amenities (that we fully took advantage of!).

We could not have asked for better service; this trip was incredibly memorable and beautiful!

Hotel Review

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Absolutely beautiful hotel with some of the best hospitality I have ever experienced. The hotel itself is beautiful, and the grounds and surrounding area were magical. We loved the massage services and the staff in the restaurant were so accommodating and kind, and genuinely went out of their way to make our stay so special. The location was ideal and very walkable to the "downtown" area of Monteverde.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

I cannot say enough about how wonderful the staff were - we are so grateful for the amazing service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Horseback Riding in the Cloud Forest

Monteverde

Probably my favorite activity in our whole trip, this was an incredible experience with some of the most breathtaking views in our entire journey.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had such an amazing time! Everything was so well organized, I didn’t have to think about anything other than showing up. Our guides were so sweet and made every effort to make sure we were okay. Michael planned an awesome trip, one I will never forget!

Had an absolutely amazing time thanks to the great planning by Marina. Hotels were fantastic as were the guides that were arranged. The driving trip to Sintra is a can’t miss event and our guide Rui was incredible, making it feel like a trip with our Portuguese cousin. All our other guides (Miguel and Pedro in Porto) and Felipa in Lisbon were top notch.
Truly had a great experience thank you Marina!

Hotel Review

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

Very nice hotel. Great service. Very central to all key Lisbon locations

Tips for future travelers

No controllable AC

Activity Review

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The guide really makes the trip. Rui was our guide replacing Nuno at the last minute. I couldn’t think of a better and more enjoyable person than him he was terrific!

Samir was great to work with, and both knowledgeable and patient in helping put together an ideal itinerary within my time frame and budget. It made for a well organized and a perfectly paced trip across the major sites across Jordan. Will recommend him to Friends & Family!

Christian was an excellent driver and wonderful guide. He maximized our time in Ecuador to the fullest extent possible. He knew just where and when to take a break and found the most wonderful places for a meal or snack. He had a great knowledge of history and answered all our many questions about Ecuador from nature to economics to ecology and more. And he was a lot of fun to be around- game for anything and even pushed us to do a few things we weren’t sure about but greatly enjoyed!
Most memorable was the Quito teleferico, Quito cooking class, Mindo hummingbirds even though we aren’t birders, Banos waterfalls and hot springs, horseback riding in Cotopaxi and visiting the lovely Quilotoa crater. The hacienda stays were exceptional.
Main thing was that Alvaro pulled off planing our trip with a one week notice!! Awesome job!!

Hotel Review

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Outstanding service and beautiful rooms. Lovely surroundings. Very quiet and comfortable. Excellent food.

Authenticity & Character

The interior

Location

Quiet but near town and national park

Staff

Personal and prompt service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fireplace in bedroom

Activity Review

Otavalo - Cloud forest of Mindo

Otavalo

Hummingbirds we’re amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Outdoor dining

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an absolutely amazing trip, Mathias and his team were excellent. We were planning a trip for spring break with our 12 and eight-year-olds and looking for adventure that would also be appropriate for this age range. He worked with us on several different itineraries to give us options, listened to our requests for Accommodations, and provided us with the most amazing driver Sebastian who was so knowledgeable about the country, and very patient with our children! He went above and beyond to make sure everything was organized and we had everything needed. It was the little details, like buying fruit in the market for our family, and following up with pictures from our adventures that we really appreciate. My children could stop hugging him at the end of the trip! Mathis met us at our hotel at the beginning of our adventure and checked in with us throughout the way to make sure our expectations were met. He works with top notch Accommodations and vendors. We would not change a think about this trip, other than we wished we stayed longer! We can’t wait to go back and would 100 percent book with Mathis!

Hotel Review

Isla de Baños

Baños

Activity Review

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Baños

Ecuador