Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was phenomenal. After about a week in BRISBANE at a conference (June 02-07), we headed south on a 10-day driving tour toward Melbourne. The first night we stayed in BYRON BAY; in driving the next day ( June 08) we visited Brunswick Bay, Minyon Falls, Byron Bay lighthouse, Bangalow, all beautiful landscapes and small pleasant towns. The next night (June 9), we stayed in PORT MACQUARIE, followed by visits on the 10th to Shelly Beach, Sea Acres Rainforest Trail, Burrawan State Forest, and the Old Bottlebutt Red Bloodwood tree (state park). Other towns and cities we visited were SYDNEY, BATEMANS BAY, NAROOMA, GIPSY POINT, METUNG, RHYLL (on PHILLIP ISLAND), and finally into MELBOURNE. There are too many highlights to list, but rest assured there were plenty of stunning natural landscapes and pleasant city and town environs. We managed to see beautiful coastal areas, mountain rainforests, and kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats, kookaburra, magpies, black swans, and a lot more. A couple of additional highlights to mention are the Penguin Parade (really) on Phillip Island and the Australian Rules Football game in Melbourne...by the way, it was the Richmond Tigers vs. St. Kilda Saints (and, Richmond won). It was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and would recommend Australia to anybody.

Nikola helped us to curate a fantastic trip to Croatia. Absolutely top-notch customer service, great communication, beautiful hotels, and excellent restaurant recommendations. We really enjoyed the daily check-in's and Nikola's quick assistance in making some last-minute adjustments to our itinerary. We wouldn't have had the same quality of a trip without the help of Nikola and his team. Thanks for helping us make such good memories!

When we found out we were going to South Africa for a conference, we decided to tack on some vacation time, so I started looking around online for recommendations and travel agents. I had never used Kimkim before, but I liked the idea of getting matched with a local agent based on our interests. The platform turned out to be easy to use, particularly for emailing our agent back and forth.

We loved the local agent, Esther, that Kimkim recommended. So started creating an itinerary for us right away, integrating our feedback and comments. She was very communicative and answered email on the platform so quickly that I barely noticed the timezone difference between the U.S. and South Africa. Her suggestions for hotels and excursions proved a good match for our priorities, and we particularly liked the mixture of different types of places...none of which I would have ever found on my own by just searching on the internet. Once we arrived in South Africa, she stayed in touch with us via text to make sure everything was going well, and even called around to check on entrance roads for us as there had been a lot of rain.

Our itinerary included time in the Winelands, and then a road trip to De Hoop Reserve and a safari at Inverdoorn Game Reserve. We got to see an amazing array of animals and birds. The food and staff at every place we stayed was amazing. My husband is a vegetarian, and he said he had some of the best and most inventive vegetarian food ever while in South Africa. We both must have gained 5 pounds each :) We also got to enjoy some wonderful dark sky gazing. I would highly recommend South Africa for U.S. travelers that want an affordable place for a variety of experiences. We would love to go back and see more of the country in the future, and will definitely use Kimkim and our local specialist Esther for our next trip!

Hotel Reviews

The Lord Charles Hotel

We spent 10 nights here, as it was the conference venue, so this place became like home for a while. The weather was bad, so we appreciated the fact that they had a couple of restaurants on-site. The Scottish style pub was our hang-out, and we got to know some of the staff, including Griszelda, who managed the breakfast room each morning. Overall, a lovely old hotel for a conference and an extended stay.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel is an old mainstay for Somerset West that was renovated during COVID. The renovations were lovely, while keeping the charm of an older place.

Location

Very centrally located for touring the Winelands.

Staff

We stayed long enough to get to know a few of the waitstaff. Lovely people.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mont Rochelle

We landed at Monte Rochelle after 2 different game reserve environments, so this was a good chance of pace and an excellent way to wrap up a trip. This place is the lap of luxury. We had the vegan taster menu from the restaurant. I also hit the spa for a reflexology/pedicure treatment that was to die for.

Authenticity & Character

Very thoughtfully decorated and appointed. Generous in-room snacks/drinks.

Location

On top of a hill overlooking Franschoek.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a gorgeous room. A good place to unwind from a bunch of traveling.

Kughana Tented Camp

The tents were very nice, and provided a different kind of experience from all the other places we stayed. We loved the chef and our safari guide Chereen. Very attentive staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great for being far out and dark skies. Roads were a bit muddy from all the rain.

Staff

Wonderful staff. We felt like we had our own personal chef for a couple of days.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The tents are quite luxurious.

De Hoop Collection

A truly unique place, with probably some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in that part of South Africa. The power was out for most of our stay due to load-shedding, but that made the experience (and the dark skies) all the more unique. We had the whole Manor House to ourselves. Food in the restaurant was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Unique collection of buildings, situated in a truly picturesque setting.

Location

Great for wildlife viewing and dark night skies. Have to travel on a dirt road to get there.

Staff

Very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

These are old buildings, complete with all the charm and idiosyncrasies that come with that.

Hotel Verde

Great place to end up after a very long flight from the U.S. Lovely hotel with a garden. Very good food in their restaurant, and a fabulous breakfast. Easy access to Cape Town airport.

Authenticity & Character

It's a nice oasis after a grueling night of airplane travel.

Location

Very close to airport.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the attention to environmentalism.

Activity Reviews

Your stay at Inverdoorn

South Africa

We loved our guide, Chereen, who took us out a couple times a day for wildlife viewing. She was very personable and a real bad-ass when it came to driving the safari truck through washed out roads.

Quality of Experience

Excellent food. Was like having your own personal chef.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone worked to make our experience top-notch.

Transport

Our guide Chereen did most of the driving. She was awesome!

Foodies on Foot walking & tasting tour

South Africa

A very fun and informative tour. I had a lovely time talking with the guide.

Quality of Experience

I liked the tastings. Had gin and tonic for the first time.

Food

Good variety of tastings. I liked the explanations of local food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative and friendly.

Transport

I took an Uber to the tour.

Gummi was awesome!! Gave incredible recommendations and instructions, and was super helpful overall. Highly recommend him!

Activity Reviews

Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike

Iceland

Amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling – Dive Between Continents in Crystal Clear Waters

Iceland

PURELY AWESOME!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot recommend the Lion’s Sand Narina Lodge highly enough. The staff was top tier and the lodge absolutely breathtaking and if in Cape Town the Marly Hotel will not disappoint. Simply beautiful. In Cape Town definitely book with Capey Tours (ask for Hendrick) and in Johannesburg MoAfrika through the eyes of experienced local guides will enlighten you. And lastly, none of it would have come together without Lucy at Travel Touch. Thank you for the trip of a lifetime.

My husband and I had a wonderful Scotland experience thanks to kimkim! It was our first time to Europe so planning a two week excursion myself was daunting. I sent an explanation of what type of things we wanted to do and see and William curated a whole trip just for us!

The communication was great and I was able to request adjustments and discussed ways to bring the cost closer to our budget.

Then once it was all set up, Marion answered any questions we had prior to the trip. The digital Roadbook they provide is great. It charts out not only the details of the trip but also provides confirmation numbers for each of the bookings and contact numbers for the business. It also outlines the story of where you are visiting. It gives tips and suggestions of what else you can see and do in the area!

There were only a couple of changes along the way, not kimkim's fault but the hotel's challenges, and Marion let us know and instructed on what the alternates were. Any time we had questions or if there were any issues, Marion was there to help us through so we could enjoy our vacation without having to worry about replanning or adjustments!

We are so happy with the locations, accomodations and day tours that were planned out for us. There are so many tourist attractions and since we had never been there before, it was hard to know what is worth going to see and do. William did a fantastic job of matching our style of local and active, plus our love of Outlander, to the selected accommodations and tours.

Prior to booking with kimkim I had read some complaints about the cost of kimkim when the same trip could have been booked for much cheaper yourself. This is true...but the point is...through this service you don't to have to do any of that yourself. You are paying for someone else to do it all for you. I did not have the time to reasearch everything and I didn't have the knowledge to pick locations and accommodations that I can be confident would be worth our time and money. Plus you don't have to deal with the potential stress of having to make changes while on your trip or feeling like you lost time with lame bookings that didn't live up to the marketing.

Through using the kimkim service, with William and Marion that were experts on Scotland, we ended up with a well planned trip with fantastic guides, experiences and locations that we will remember for a lifetime.

What an amazing experience! Our guide, Thomas, met us in Munich and was absolutely wonderful! His love for his city, history and connection to our own home town gave the tour a unique and personal touch. It was a memorable time! I only wish I planned a longer stay!

Andrea did an excellent job planning the trip. Everything went smoothly, and he was available to help and communicate throughout the trip as needed. We enjoyed all of the accommodations, excursions, and tour guides and drivers we met along the way. It was a special first visit to Italy and we hope to someday return!

Activity Reviews

Colosseum & Roman Forum skip the line ticket

Rome

The Colosseum was very impressive and we were glad we got to see it! We also visited the Roman Forum, but we spent less time there due to the size. We did the self guided tour and enjoyed that. We would recommend visiting to others!

Quality of Experience

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

The Vatican and Sistine Chapel was a beautiful experience. We saw so many ancient artifacts and pieces of artwork. We did a self guided tour and we were happy with that experience. The skip-the-line ticket was absolutely worth it!

Quality of Experience

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

We had a wonderful time on this excursion to Capri. The boat ride was scenic and our driver was quick to explain the many sights along the way. Capri is a beautiful island with many breathtaking views. We visited the gardens and explored the shops. On the way back, we enjoyed a swim in the water, which was a wonderful way to end the day’

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our boat driver was friendly and showed us many parts of the island from the boat. He found many opportunities for the guests to take good photos with the scenery. Although the Blue Grotto was closed and we did not get to go, he took us to a swimming spot instead and we loved that experience!

Transport

We took a water taxi to our boat dock (about 15 minutes) and it was smooth both ways. The drivers were friendly and punctual.

Wine tasting in Pompeii area including light lunch

Italy

The winery visit was a wonderful experience, especially after spending time at Pompeii in the hot sun! We immediately were given a quick tour of the winery upon arrival, and shortly after we were seated for wine tasting and lunch. The location was beautiful, the wine was good, and we enjoyed the food. It was a great experience that we would recommend to others!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was friendly!

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Pompeii was a fantastic experience. It was amazing to see the ruins and learn from our guide. Simona was very knowledgeable and she was able to show us so much during our visit. We never knew how large Pompeii actually is until our visit, but we felt that we got to experience all of it thanks to our guide. We would recommend anyone visiting to stop by Pompeii!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Simona taught us a lot about Pompeii and gave us an excellent experience by ensuring we saw as much as possible during our visit.

Transport

Our driver Guiseppe was excellent. He was punctual and friendly and drove us to multiple locations throughout the day.

Pizza Making Class

Italy

We loved the pizza making class. It was in Emanuela’s private residence, so we got to know her and learn so much from her in this unique experience. We would absolutely recommend this experience to others.

Quality of Experience

Food

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

We loved our guide Alexandra! She was knowledgeable and was able to show us so much. We saw the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and so much more. It was a great way to begin our visit to Italy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Iceland was wonderful and memorable. Jenny provided an excellent day by day itinerary which we followed religiously. Along the way we a few things we discovered on our own. Driving the Ring Road is an experience that we will not forget. This is our first time using Kim Kim and we’re not disappointed.

We had a fantastic 9 day trip to Croatia. Bruno was extremely helpful with all aspects of planning and putting together the itinerary that fit our needs. The hotels, travel reservations etc were all seamless. Bruno also met with us when we landed in Zagreb and personally guided our group of 12 ( along with another associate, Mario) for the first 3 days of our tour. Even on the later days, when we were on our own or with other guides, Bruno would text me every night with the plan and arrangements for the next day.
This was my first time booking through KimKim and this was a 100% perfect experience. Will definitely return to this platform for any future travel and also highly recommend Bruno and his company to anyone traveling to Croatia.

Hotel Reviews

Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik Hotel

Dubrovnik

Great location, clean updated rooms, dinner restaurants with a view and an absolutely amazing breakfast spread!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Marko Polo

Korčula

Clean and decent but a little old/ dated hotel. Had a slight “ nursing home vibe”.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town

Staff

Staff was very helpful. Helped us get scooter rentals even though it was late in the day and very last minute for a large group of 12

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort

Hvar

BEST HOTEL of the whole trip. If we could do this again, we would stay at Amfora for more days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful water views and also less than 10 min walk from Hvar old town

Staff

This was a very large hotel and you could easily get lost even just getting back to the room but the staff was very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sparkling clean facilities and lots of staff to service the rooms

Hotel President

Split

Old hotel and NOT AT ALL functional. Huge rooms but extremely tiny bathrooms with no place for anything, the shower door would not close. There was no room to even sit properly on the potty without hitting the bathtub. There was one small counter to hold a toothbrush, soap and toilet paper! The air condition er did not work.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but NOT AT ALL comfortable or functional. Our friends had a room that was previously used as a conference room and the bathtub was perched on top of a stage and very tall and hard to get in and out of. The tub was in the room like a honeymoon suite but the door was not tight so it sprayed water on the room floor! This 4 star was the most disappointing hotel of our 9 day trip

Skradinski buk

Skradin

The best amenities possible for a 3 star hotel. This was a very clean, new and updated hotel. Especially after the 16 lake guest house, the room and shower felt extra spacious. Breakfast was ok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dubrovnik

Excellent location. Friendly staff. Clean rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We were leaving super early on the last day. They packed us boxed breakfast to take even though it was way before their breakfast time!

Cleanliness & Comfort

16 Lakes Hotel

Rakovica

Our Velinka was an absolute Angel! She welcomed us with home made Rakia and prepared us a huge and delicious breakfast spread the next morning ( bigger and better than many hotels!)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to Plitvice lakes park

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were EXTREMELY CLEAN and nicely kept. Only reason for 4 stars is the rooms ( especially bathroom and shower) were very small and the sloping roof over the bed made me feel a little claustrophobic

Activity Reviews

Explore Krka National Park

Skradin

Krka is a BIG and spread out national park. So glad we had our guides ( Bruno & Mario) otherwise we would not have been able to see so much of the park in one day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Zadar and Skradin overnight

Plitvice Lakes

Quality of Experience

Glad we stopped in Zadar

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leaving Zagreb and exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park

Zagreb

Bruno and Mario were great guides and drivers. We stopped at Rastoke village and then went to plitvice lakes park, which was breathtakingly beautiful. They guided us through the park and also explained all the natural phenomena leading to the waterfalls and told us about the history of the place as well. A day well spent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruno and Mario were very knowledgeable about the local places, history and geographic phenomena

Transport

2 minivans to carry our group of 12 and our luggage. The cars were in good condition and we didn’t have to worry about leaving our luggage while we were exploring the park since this was a private car service

Very well planned. All our guides we top notch. It was a fantastic trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chira Glamping Monteverde

Puntarenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Very accommodating to our special needs diets (vegan, no gluten)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Damas Island Mangrove Forest Kayak Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike

Monteverde

Bernie was a very knowledgable guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Discovery Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide, Luis was outstanding!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano to El Castillo - Half Day Mountain Bike Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mambo Combo: Canyoning and Rafting

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire kimkim team (William, Stephen and Clement) organized and delivered an outstanding travel and tour itinerary and arranged for extraordinary guides to thoroughly entertain and inform us of the welsh history and culture. Each driver and tour guide was on time and always accommodating to our periodic requests for extra stops. Of note were Phillip Owens (Transfer from Bangor to Pwllheli) who spoke fluent Welsh including Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch; Chris (North Wales Guided Tours) was a fountain of information. Not sure there is anything about the history or culture of Wales that he doesn't know. We visited burial grounds, castles (Caernarfon) , Snowdonia and an ancient manor house. Viewed slate mines , the Menai Straits and a experienced a pub or two along the way. A real bonus was renting ebikes for two days of personal exploration (Morfa Nefyn (Ty coch inn) and Criccieth Beach. The outfitter (www.discoverllyn.com) was very accommodating and helpful in providing biking paths for our destinations. Summitting Mount Snowden and the hike down the mountain to Llanberis was a bucket list experience. A great day and timely transportation from snowdonia-taxiarfon. A couple of unscheduled days in Abergavenny and Crickhowell led us to the discovery of a Michelin star Walnut Tree Inn and a number of really great small down pubs (Red Dragon Inn and The Bear Inn). Also hiked the canal trail from Crickhowell to Gilwern where we ended our pub crawl at the Corn Exchange meeting a number of locals and couple of fine welsh beers.
We had an extraordinary two days with Noel and Phionah (South Wales Personal Tours) touring Roman Ruins(Caerleon), the National Roman Legion Museum and , Cheptow Castle and Tintern Abbey . Day 2 took us to Swansea , the Mumbles and the Gower Peninsula which was absolutely stunning. Rhossili and Worm's Head were spectacular. Our trip home included a stop at Arthur's Stone and Merthyr Tydfil near our family ancestral homes.
The KimKim team was very helpful during our trip in identifying transportation on our open days (On-Demand transportation in Wales does not exist). Clement was on call during the weekend and was able to secure transfers needed to get us to the Abergavenny train station back to London. No small trick for nine people. One suggestion would be to have the itemized price of the transfers and tours available so that appropriate tips could be calculated. All in All I would not hesitate to hire KimKim for our next adventure. They, no doubt, were key contributors to our extraordinary family trip.

Activity Reviews

Wye Valley with a private guide

Abergavenny

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Llanberis

Llanberis

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowdonian Mountain Railway

Llanberis

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day exploring the Castle, Coast and Country of North Wales

Pwllheli

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a trip of a lifetime and Gummi made it possible! He listened to us from Day 1 and provided so much more than we could have ever asked for. If you are booking a trip to Iceland, you need to book with him! Everyday was perfect. Between the tours he booked, to the personalized driving maps and dining suggestions. Communication was prompt and he was kind! I will be recommending to my friends who want to book a trip to book with Gummi and KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Konvin Hotel by Reykjavik Keflavik Airport

Keflavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

very thin walls! We could hear everything! Fire alarm went off 3 times in the night.

Hotel Geysir

Bláskógabyggd

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hrafnavellir Guest House

Hornafjörður (Hofn)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puffin Hotel Vík

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Egilsen

Stykkishólmur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

there are stairs...no elevator.

Skuggi Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was great. We loved the tours we went on, all the people who were the guides were so personable and knowledgeable! We did not love one of our hotels and let Audrey know and she was able to find us another much better accommodation. Audrey was very responsive when we had questions. We were disappointed one day when their was a National protest and we did get to see Versailles or use our tickets up to the Eiffel Tour. We were able to book a few other things however.

The guides were excellent. We spent the day, 9 hours, with Nota in Athens. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. Antoni spent the day showing us the island of Milos. He detailed it to our wishes. It was a good way to see local places and restaurants. Or guide in Santorini also, spent 9 hours with us. This tour entailed local cuisines and historical landmarks.

The food was good for all of our tours, including the sailing trips. The staff on the Santorini sailing tour, made vegetarian meal, just for me.

We stayed at the Elia Ermou in Athens, the Santa Maria Village Resort and Spa in Milos, and the Santorini Palace Hotel. The staff at all the hotels were friendly and helpful. The hotels were all well situated, in walking distance to restaurant and shopping.

Kimkim did an excellent job planning our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Santa Maria Village

Milos

The Santa Maria Village Resort & Spa was my favorite hotel. The room and location were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

The hotel was in a great location, but the room setup was a bit unusual. There was no counter space to put things on, which was inconvenient. However, overall, the room was comfortable and decent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

⛵ Sunset Sailing Tour & BBQ on a luxury catamaran

Santorini

The sunset sailing tour was enjoyable. The food prepared on the boat was good and added to the overall experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All time classic Santorini, Full-Day Island Tour

Santorini

I truly enjoyed the full-day island tour in Santorini. Our guide was exceptional. We visited an archaeological site and had a memorable day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

⛵ Boat Trip to Kleftiko with catamaran, H/D

Milos

Despite some rain, I had a great time on the boat trip. The crew was friendly and accommodating, which added to the overall enjoyment of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🚙 Jeep Safari in Milos

Milos

This wasn't exactly what I expected. I thought it would be a real Jeep, but it was more of a four-wheel drive car. However, the guide, Anthony, was incredible. He genuinely listened to what we mentioned and tried to take us to different places than initially planned. This made the tour feel personalized and unique

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved every minute of my time in Kenya thanks to Joseph, whose expertise made everything go like clockwork, and huge thanks go out to the coolest drivers on the planet, Richard and Stanley. I had an extra day in Nairobi before the pre planned itinerary began. Between Joseph’s and Richard’s suggestions for things to do, the day got filled with sights and experiences that turned out to be some of the highlights of my stay. And I don’t even know where to start to say enough good things about Stanley, our guide and driver, for the safari portion of the trip. Great company! He managed to get us close to more animals than I could have ever imagined in my brief two and a half days. And last but not least I enjoyed getting to know Susan and all of the lovely people we encountered at Maji Moto. Although I went for the animals, I will go back for the people.

Hotel Review

Ashnil Mara Camp

Maasai Mara

If you like a touch of luxury in remote surroundings with wildlife at the gate, impeccable service, scrumptious food at every meal, hippos singing in your front yard in the evening, song birds waking you in the morning, and so much more, then this is the slice of paradise you need for your next safari. Sure was for me!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara

Mid June was a perfect time to be in the park, if you like cooler weather and fewer people. The wildebeest migration wasn’t underway, but there was an abundance of wildlife to be found in every direction.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our guides were Amazing!
They were very knowledgeable and they Could literally spot animals from the boat and car.

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

Hotel Review

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

The room was small but the view of the Acropolis from the upstairs terrace was amazing! The location of the hotel was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Round trip Transfer in Athens

Athens

All our transfers went very smoothly! They were always on time! Unfortunately traffic in Athens was horrible - soooo allowing time to travel based on traffic conditions is a must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Vouliagmeni Lake (for Linda & friends)

Athens

Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saronic Islands Day Cruise (for Linda & Friends)

Athens

The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Everyone loved the cruise portion of the trip. The islands themselves were just okay ;o)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Meal in Nafplio

Greece

We enjoyed the dinner meal in Nafplio - but it was unfortunately too close to when we had lunch so most of us were not hungry enough to do the meal justice :o( But the food and location of the restaurant on the waterfront was superb!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cape Sounion Driving tour

Greece

After getting settled into our hotel in the afternoon our evening tour began with a private drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion where we explored the Temple of Poseidon. Then we drove down the hill to a taverna on the beach and enjoyed a sunset dinner right on the water front with spectacular views of the Temple of Poseidon lit up at sunset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Custom Food & Wine Day Trip to the Peloponnese for Linda & Friends

Athens

The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by a great lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and a fabulous dinner at a waterfront tavern.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Custom Agora & Flavors Tour for Linda & Friends

Athens

What I liked most about this tour was the combination of walking tour of Ancient Agora combined with a food tour that included a craft beer tasting plus a stop at Brettos to taste Osso +++ :o) So there was a little something special for everyone in the group!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was amazing! Liz planned a perfect trip for us and answered all of my little and big questions along the way. She worked within our budget and we felt like we were treated so well throughout. The drivers were where they were supposed to be at the times they said they would, the tours were all so well done!
We started in Sydney. We had a change to our harbour tour but ended up getting to see the lights of Vivid with the evening tour. We hit all of the iconic expereinces- the Sydney Opera House tour and the Bridge Climb. Liz was able to change our reservation to twighlight and we were on the bridge as the lights came up. It was terrifying and spectacular, and I would definitely recommend. The tour guides there- Nick gave us the tour and Molly set us up- were so fun. It is such a well organized plan that, even if you are afraid of heights, or anxious about being 134 meters over the water, you couldn't help but feel at ease.
We did the bike tour with Bonzo bikes in the Rocks. Stu was a great guide and, after being totally ovewhelmed by Sydney on my first exhausted day, felt so comfortable and able to really enjoy the sights of the city. It is beautiful-even in winter, the trees are evergreen, so it felt like spring in the northeast/US.
We stopped at Calmsley Farm on the way to the blue mountains. This was a lovely site with helpful guides who know the animals. We learned about the koalas, kangaroos, wallabys and more.
Our trip to the Blue Mountains included a hike and a lovely picnic lunch. We got to see some beautiful views and a waterfall on our hike.
We traveled to Melbourne via Quantas. We stayed at the Batmans Hill on Collins. This was our best accommodation! It was a really interesting building. We had plenty of space for our crew of 3-me, my husband and my 20 yo daughter. They had laundry for a small fee. The staff were so friendly and helpful throughout our stay. It was convenient to the train as well as the light rail which is free within the city. We stopped at the moonlit sancturary where we got to feed the wallabys and kangaroos! We saw the Penguins at Phillip Island, the Yarrow Valley for a vinyard tour= Cam from Vinetrekkers was great. We had a fun, chatty group and really enjoyed the otherwise rainy day! We walked to the aquarium and checked out the Royal and Block arcades on our free days. It felt like being in Hogsmeade-if you are a Harry Potter fan! Definitely felt like a throwback for us!
Off to another flight to Cairnes for our stay in Port Douglas. I can't say enough about the crew at Sailaway who took us to the outer great barrier reef! So knowledgeable and fun. Safety was always at the forefront. We even witnessed their first whale sighting of the migration north just off the point of Snapper Island. We learned a ton about the reef and sustainability.
We headed to Kuranda via the skyrail and scenic rail tour. The little town had a lot to offer. The views were spectacular and we were able to have lunch with a view.
Our Billy Safari tour of the Daintree rainforest was our last official tour. We were exhuasted but still enjoyed Daniel's storie and the views. The river tour was great- we saw several crocodiles and some resident birds.
Our day was back in Sydney to get our flight home. We used the train system to get to the Wildlife museum where we finally found a playpus! The dollar was in our favor so we really were able to eat, visit and enjoy without much fuss.
Our daughter prompted this trip by doing a semester at The University of New Castle in New South Wales. She had an amazing experiece. We were all so impressed by the kindness of the people, the ease of navigating the cities and the amazing opportunities Australia had to offer! We are so thankful we stumbled upon Liz and Kimkim when trying to figure out how to plan a financially manageable trip! Thanks for everything! We all had different highlights but all agreed it was too hard to pick a favorite!

Hotel Reviews

Villa San Michele

Port Douglas

The location was great- right in the middle of town, but in a quiet community! We really should have chosen a larger room for the 3 of us- it was a bit tight for 3 adults in the 1 br apt.

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

The building was really unique. We had a lot of space, laundry was easily accessible, food was good and staff were all friendly! We had seen some reviews which did not reflect the same experience, so we were really pleasantly surprised and it was the best accommodation of our 14 day tour of Australia. The location was great. We walked to the aquarium and the local arcades. We took the free light rail to the night market pretty easily.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

Clean and close to the light rail. Breakfast was included and good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in China town. It was a cool location, just a tougher walk than we realized. Once we figured out the light rail it was easier!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Kevin was a great tour guide! He got us where we needed to be and knew the best way to navigate the crowds. We had a cold, rainy night but still had an amazing time and saw around 800 penguins come ashore! It was amazing!

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch

Port Douglas

We loved our experience with Sailaway! The crew was fantastic-fun, knowledgeable and comfortable to be around! They were on top of everything from safety to motion sickness to reef knowlege and conservation. Can't say enough!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Yarra Valley Wine and Food Tour

Melbourne

We had a great day with Cam and Vinetrekker despite the dreary day! Lots of great people and chatter! The wine was good, too :)

Quality of Experience

Food

We had a lovely meal with some local fare!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Nick and Molly helped us through the process. So well organized and safety conscious. We had amazing time, seeing the lights come up for Vivid! Amazing experiece despite some mild terror! They are so good about putting you at ease and making you feel safe! Picture is our celebratory drink after the climb!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Stu was a great guide! It was a very relaxed outing and I felt like we saw Sydney in a way that I never would have on foot! We enjoyed the info and the chatter! We took our helmets off for the photo!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve