Kimkim Trip Reviews

We have just completed our 15-day Scandinavia adventure! We found the trip planning and excursions that were suggested by Julia to fit our tastes and also provide enough time for wandering around on our own. In Copenhagen we especially appreciated the personal tours of Kronoberg and Christiansborg castles. In Norway the wonderful stop in Balestrand with the rib boat tour and fjord tours were amazing, along with the accommodations. Having all the trains and boats planned for us was great to allow us to focus more on the locations and less on planning that aspect of travel which was welcomed. The information provided to us prior to the trip was accurate and we only had a few times where things were not as clear but this was likely not KimKim but the specific train company itself. We greatly enjoyed our time and felt we were able to see and do the things we wanted with some guidance but also allowing time for us to discover on our own. I would certainly use KimKim in the future to assist in planning!

We enjoyed our TMB trip, even though for reasons outside our control, it didn't go accoding to plan. Our flight from Heathrow was delalyed two hours, but the Mountain Dropoffs driver met us at the Geneva airport and gave us a shuttle ride to Chamonix as planned. That evening we had a terrific Franch meal, looking up at the dying light over Mont Blanc. I really enjoyed Chamonix, a place where one sees as many people running as walking, and where the sky is dotted with hang gliders. The highlight of our "open" day on Tuesday, Sept. 5 before the trek was taking the tram up to l'Aguille du Midi. My wife Kathy had been concerned about the altitude, but in fact she tolerated it fine, and we were rewarded with unforgettable views of the Swiss Alps from out vantage point at 3850 m. The weather throughout was sunny and very warm for the time of year; the ride up to l'Aguille du Midi was the only time on the whole trip when I had to break out my cold-weather gear.

There were two problems at the start of the trip. First, our Chamonix hotel room at Plan B (can't recall the room noumber) turned out to be infested with bedbugs! This has happened to us before when traveling. I don't seem to be sensitive to them, but my wife is very sensitive and was bitten dozens of times (we actually spotted one of the bugs the next day). Second, there was a mixup with the luggage. We had arranged with Mt. Blanc Taxi for a luggage transfer to our hotel in Les Contamines and also to transport Kathy. There was some mixup, and while the driver took Kathy and my bags, her bag was left behind in Chamonix. It finally showed up at the hotel, but not until late afternoon. Partly this was my fault, since I hadn't informed kimkim that when I packed for the trip, I was unable to fit all the food I thought I needed for the trip (breakfast food and lunches for four days), as well as my clothes for a planned week of travel after the trip, into a single duffel bag. I improved by taking a second, medium-sized backpack (a Kelty Redwing 44). Apparently this was a big problem for the taxi service. We had discussed that there were arrangements for luggage transfer, but not exactly how many bags or how large. On top of that, my own duffel bag showed up damaged (the zipper of the main compartment was broken), when it was fine at the time I packed it. I had to scramble to hike into town and buy a replacement duffel bag right away.

On the trek itself, I was very pleased with the "MonRoadbook" app. Whenever I was uncertain about navigation, I would zoom in on my location and quickly determined whether I was on the intended route or not. The combination of the app and generally good signage meant that navigation was less of a problem on this tour than I expected. I had tried to study the route, but it's just not possible to memorize every major turn in advance.

I enjoyed the hiking most on Day 1, which was only about half the distance of the next two days. When I got to Les Contamines, there seemed to be something in the air there that was irritating me, as I noticed that my nose was running and I had a little heaviness in my chest. I thought I might be coming down with a cold, but the symptoms could also be related to the strenuous hike I had just completed. The second day, to Courmayeur, was long and exhausting. The third day, to Champex-Lac, was the longest of the trip (31.5 miles), but the terrain was a lot easier, especially on the second half. But I started Day 3 already in an exhausted and dehydrated state. My energy level was much lower than usual, and I had to go slower than usual and take frequent rest stops before making it over the Grand Col de Ferret and into Switzerland at about 2:40 pm. I had to do the final leg of the hike into Champex-Lac with a headlamp, and didn't arrive at the Relais d'Arpette until around 9:30 pm, after nearly 14 hours of hiking. The owners were very nice and saved some hot food for me even though their kitchen was officially closed.

I had already decided that I wasn't up to hiking the fourth day, even though it would be easier than days 2 and 3. My cold, or whatever it was, had gotten worse, and I had developed a sore throat. My energy level had crashed. So I arranged for a taxi ride back to Chamonix. When I got to the hotel there, I tested positive for COVID. So that is why I was so weak the third day. I had correctly assessed my fitness as good enough to do the 4-day tour, but something like COVID can mess anything up. At least I got three good days of hiking in.

I found kimkim to be professional and helpful throughout. The arrangements we had made all held up. I would not hesitate to book with kimkim again.

My wife and I just spent our honeymoon in the Greek Islands and it was as close to perfect as it could have been.

Our experience with kimkim was extremely positive and stress free. Our local specialist, Antonis, could not have been more amazing. From the very beginning of the planning process, he was flexible with our requests and changes, never pressured us to agree to anything we didn't want, and was all-around professional and highly competent.

In the months leading up to our trip, he was highly responsive to our questions and provided us everything we needed in a timely manner.

But even better than the pre-trip assistance, was his assistance while we traveled to Greece and while we were there. We encountered several delays between airline and water ferry issues, but Antonis was there to guide us and check on things and give us valuable information usually within minutes. He didn't leave us on our own once the trip was planned, he was there through all the hiccups and snags along the way.

While in country, Antonis REALLY set us up with a great experience. He set up all the transportation to and from the airport, the water ports, and to our excursions. The drivers were always on time, pleasant, and had very nice and reliable vehicles (Mercedes every time!) which made us feel comfortable and made the trip enjoyable. The two catamaran trips we took went flawless and were an incredible experience. The staff were professional, pleasant, and really took first-class care of us. Again, Antonis set us up with the best of the best.

The accommodations were also outstanding. Ada from Modernity Suites in Santorini was beyond amazing. She was super helpful with our check in even though we arrived late due to a flight delay. She was always on site and more than willing to help with anything we needed. She recommended a laundry when all our clothes were soaked from being left in the rain on the airport tarmac. She recommended places to visit while in Santorini and even made travel arrangements for us to the beach and back. Her staff made us an incredible breakfast every morning (made to order) and it was delivered to us on time, warm, and delicious.

Antonis also hooked us up in Naxos with a BEAUTIFUL room at the Santana Luxury Suites. The room was exquisite and the ocean front view was something off a post card.

Finally, the hotel in Athens was also gorgeous. Located in downtown Athens in the middle of everything (dining, historic sites, etc), the Elia Ermou Athens Hotel was a great bookend to an amazing trip.

Thank you Antonis, Ada, Sunset Oia, and Naxos Catamaran for an unforgettable honeymoon in Greece!

Ron and Audrey

Hotel Reviews

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Modern hotel with professional and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Super modern and high quality beds and bathrooms with marble.

Location

In the middle of Athens in a beautiful, safe area with TONS of shops and restaurants. The 7th floor restaurant overlooking Athens and the Acropolis is unbeatable.

Staff

Friendly and helpful in every way.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was super comfortable and the bathroom was out of a magazine.

Santana Beach Suites

Naxos

Perfectly situated on a quiet portion of the beach with a view to die for. The hotel and restaurant staff were attentive and friendly. The food and drinks at the hotel had us eating there daily.

Authenticity & Character

Modern room with automatic shades, fancy lighting, and a view of the ocean from your bed! Updated bathroom and shower...everything was first class.

Location

Amazing! Quiet, away from the crazy part of the public beach about a 1/4 mile away, and within walking distance of several great restaurants where you could eat literally on the beach and watch the sun set.

Staff

Attentive, helpful, and super friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was made, whole room cleaned, and fresh towels every day. Pefection!

Modernity Suites

Santorini

Gorgeous view, incredible staff, and outstanding location. Ada and her team are what would have me stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Cute, quaint, lovely space. Very European feel.

Location

Right in downtown Fira, close to literally EVERYTHING. But quiet and comfortable. The view looking over the water was something we couldn't wait to see each morning.

Staff

Ugh, so friendly and warm. I felt like we were their only customers. Ada is the best!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, quiet and comfortable. We always came back to a fresh and clean room each evening. And if we needed anything, they gave it to us immediately.

Activity Reviews

Morning Catamaran Cruise

Naxos

We left early once everyone was on board which gave us even more time for this amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

The entire thing was amazing. The sites where we stopped to swim, the meal, the hospitality were all first class.

Food

Authentic Greek meal! Phenomenal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was so friendly and welcoming and seemed like they wanted us there.

Transport

Flawless, on time and comfortable.

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Best experience we could have ever asked for. The staff on board the Sunset Delos (George, Yannis, and Katerina) were awesome and the dinner they cooked for us was other world.

Quality of Experience

On time crew, professional, safe, and all-around awesome and pleasant. Offered beer, wine, and snacks, plus an amazing lunch!

Food

EVERYTHING! lol

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First-class, friendly, and wonderful,

Transport

On time, reliable, clean, and pain free!

We had an amazing trip and are very thankful for all of Terry’s help, especially with multiple changes of plans.

We stayed at Ocelle Thermae and Spa in Sirmione Italy. We had asked for a room on Lake Garda. What we got was a room that had a lake view but the lake was across a busy street and the view was small as it was between 2 houses. The rest of the trip itinerary was top notch.

Activity Reviews

Bernina train from Como

Italy

Bernina train is the best. Up close and personal to the alps.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bus needed to have a bathroom on board

Private Boat Tour of Lake Como - Explore Bellagio

Italy

Very good private boat guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you so much for KimKim they made our trip more easier, they provide for us all the facilities to enjoy my honeymoon.

They are very professional and organized I recommend this agency 👌👌

Activity Review

Delos & Rhenia Sailing Cruise & Lunch

Mykonos

The tip amazing the caption and the crew very friendly they prepared for us very nice launch 🫶😍

Quality of Experience

Amazing

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice staff

Transport

Unfortunately Kristina and I never got on the same page. Her idea of a good day was to start early and be busy all day seeing the sights, we are a bit more relaxed in our travel ventures.

Hotel Reviews

Britannia Hotel

Trondheim

We did not go to Trondheim

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Scandic Göteborg Central

Göteborg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

To spend all day on this trip was a total waste of our time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flåm Railway, Zipline & Cycling Adventure

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very kind and helpful

Transport

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dream vacation in Chile and our local specialist, Jesse, made it all possible. She was very responsive, and she planned out a great itinerary that was a perfect mix of touring and down time. All of the tours that she arranged for us were unique and special in their own way. One of our tours was cancelled due to weather conditions and we were promptly refunded. We were extremely happy and would highly recommend Jesse for anyone planning a trip to Chile.

Hotel Reviews

NH Ciudad de Santiago

Santiago

The room was very large, consisting of a bedroom, walk-in closet, large sitting room, and bathroom. The bed was comfortable. The bathroom could have been a bit cleaner - the grout and bathroom fixtures looked a little worse for wear. The location was okay. We're walkers and it felt like a fairly long one to get to any of the neighborhoods/sites we wanted to see. We did end up taking cars several times which is unusual for us. Breakfast was good and the staff was friendly. I was allowed to check into my room a bit early, which was greatly appreciated as I was exhausted after a long day of travel. The overall vibe was a bit generic - it just didn't have a lot of personality or charm, but we were perfectly comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Cochera

San Pedro de Atacama

Great location, truly wonderful staff, and immaculate. It's a bit bare bones, but very comfortable and I would certainly recommend La Cochera to anyone visiting San Pedro.

Authenticity & Character

Location

1/2 block away from the Main Street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stargazing

San Pedro de Atacama

This was a life changing experience. It is hard to describe how truly incredible the night sky is in Atacama. We were picked up promptly from our hotel. Initially there was some confusion because we were told that the tour would be in English, and when we were picked up the driver only spoke Spanish. However, when we arrived at the destination the actual guides spoke Spanish and English. There were about 20-25 people participating, and we were broken up into three groups - those of us taking the tour in English were one group and the other two groups were Spanish speaking. The groups took turns at the three stations. Our groups' first station was the snack station, where our guide told us about the indigenous peoples' relationship to the stars, and about various constellations. There was a fire. It was lovely. We then went to the photography station. They had a very high-tech camera set up so everyone was able to get a photograph that depicted how the sky looked - something regular cameras surely would not have been able to pick up. Finally, we went to the station that had a couple of high-powered telescopes. We looked at Saturn (you could see the rings using the telescope), and this was the most science-heavy part of the tour. We learned about why different stars are different colors, how they are formed and die, etc. Honestly the sky was so incredible on its own that I would have been happy sitting in a field just looking at it, but the tour added some much-appreciated context that made the experience even more special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The roads were dark and bumpy and the driver was FLYING. It was a little scary, although we came to learn typical of Atacama tour drivers . . .

Santiago City Tour

Chile

We had a wonderful guide who was extremely knowledgeable and gave us an insider's flavor for the city. We surely would not have gotten anywhere near the sense of the city that we got had we just walked about on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This 10 day trip was very well organized and covered areas of great natural splendour and places of historical importance. The accommodations were mostly in traditional riads that were beautiful and offered great services.
However, the most important factor in making our trip unforgettable was having had Karim as our guide/driver.
Karim is very positive and respectful and was always sure to respond to our needs making us feel welcome and safe.
Karim’s deep and personal knowledge of the sites and cultural aspects that make Morocco so unique contributed to our learning and enjoyment. There were innumerable highlights, one of the most memorable was our visit to a nomad family in their dwelling in the Atlas mountains. This interaction gave us a deep understanding of this centuries old way of life.
Our time in Morocco was marred by the occurrence of a strong earthquake that left much death and destruction. Karim kept us informed, answered all our questions and was very supportive and reassuring.
Karim’s driving skills are superb, be it on the highway, the cities, the desert or the mountain roads the rides felt safe and as confortable as possible.
We leave Morocco with great admiration for its varied and spectacular natural beauty, the uniqueness of its ancient and modern cities but mostly for the friendliness and resilience of its people, Karim being one great ambassador. We thank him and the team for making this trip so unforgettable.

Hotel Review

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Extremely friendly and helpful staff Very comfortable room Varied and tasty breakfast service The roof top garden is very relaxing

Authenticity & Character

Great architecture

Location

Within the historic centre

Staff

So friendly and eager to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

All including the room, the roof garden and the reception area

Activity Review

Private Transfer from Fez to Merzouga Desert

Morocco

Arriving to our desert camp on the back of a dromedary, what a unique experience! The camp had all of the comforts that one expects in cities but in this unique natural setting. We became aware that there is a great effort to offer these comforts with very little environmental footprint, which is so important. That day there was a sand storm, however, we were safe and protected. The food was tasty and the service impecable. At the end of dinner the staff put on a fantastic evening concert with traditional music, what a treat! Sunrise in the desert among the sand dunes is an experience to be remembered.

Quality of Experience

Great organization and care for detsil

Food

Varied and tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our awesome driver Karim and local organizer

Transport

Karim always on time with great driving skills. Vehicle in good condition and always kept clean

We had a wonderful vacation in Portugal! Pedro was very patient and flexible as we built the itinerary and very responsive to our questions while we were in Portugal. All of our guides were very knowledgeable and informative with good restaurant recommendations following the tours. We loved leaving the driving to others who were always punctual and helpful. A five star experience!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Beautiful setting and luxurious accommodations. Wish we had more than one night there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

Location and a charming lobby were the highlights. Nice big bathrooms but the bedroom was tight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

This hotel was lovely - we appreciated the extra space of a junior suite and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We wish it was located in the historic district instead of the outskirts of that area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Another trip highlight. Gorgeous country, wonderful boat ride and delightful winery experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Lots of good information provided with an emphasis on the Jewish experience in Porto.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

One of the highlights of our trip! We really liked our driver Miguel and appreciated his recommendations for lunch and activity after Peña Palace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

We loved Belem - stayed longer with tickets for the monastery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

We were forewarned that dinner was not the highlight and that was the truth! We enjoyed the music.

Food

Lisbon Walking Tour + Delicious Portuguese Flavours

Lisbon

Our guide Marguerita was very knowledgeable and so much fun to talk to!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Going during the “rainy” season was a nice idea. We had small groups, the restaurants were empty and we got great service. Trips were all well guided by smart and caring folks. The highlight was watching a sea turtle lay eggs on the beach, bury them and return to the sea. Road trips were a little long, but a small price to pay to get to the great sites

Hotel Reviews

Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel

Puerto Viejo

Unique hotel with a wonderful “jungle” vibe. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Nice pools. Food was nice. Beach was scenic

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manatus Hotel

Tortuguero

Wonderful location, staff, food and ambiance

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crowne Plaza San Jose La Sabana by IHG

San José

Nice evening stopover from the airport to our destinations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not too far from airport

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free day in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Just did a massage, went to the pool, ate and slept

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback riding on the beach

Costa Rica

Great highlight of the trip. Saw sloths and monkeys before hitting the beach. Wonderful cool, cloudy day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Great visibility in warm water

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero National Park - Boating

Tortuguero

Best part of the trip- seeing a mama sea turtle lay eggs, bury them and return to the sea

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero Village Guided Visit

Tortuguero

Got a chance to see the town for some shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We could not have planned our trip without the help of Gummi. (Gudmundur Oli). He was full of helpful ideas and worked with me to tailor the timing and locations to suit our style. He had patience for all my questions. Also most importantly was super quick with answers and when I needed him on the trip he answered the phone, solved any issues and checked up after. He is a great and knowledgeable person to partner with.

Hotel Review

Center Hotel Arnarhvoll

Reykjavík

Loved the view of the Harpa. Amazing bar and view from the breakfast room.

Authenticity & Character

Clean Icelandic design

Location

Staff

Georgia was amazing and patient at the front desk gave us an upgrade to a lovely room. Very good customer service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely view

Activity Review

Sky Lagoon - Experience the seven-step Sky Ritual

Iceland

An other worldly experience. Calming and relaxing.

Quality of Experience

Unique and well designed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We lost a jacket and the staff helped find it

Transport

Wow! My husband and I are seasoned travelers, and this was one of our best vacations ever! Robi was so knowledgable, responsive and SO generous in helping us plan the perfect trip. Though we moved around a lot (We wanted to see everything!) the pacing was perfect, and we had something cool to explore each day. We covered Istria, 2 national parks, and the Dalmatian coast in 14 days!
There were so many highlights, but the most unexpected was our 4 day bike excursion from Kocula to Dubrovnik with our incredible guide, Borna. He led us on the most beautiful roads with stunning views and delightful stops along the way (vineyards for wine tasting, beautiful bays for swims, old monasteries, local meals . . ) He and Robi found roads that were not only gorgeous, but relatively traffic free, which was important given that the narrow winding Croatian roads have little to no shoulder. Borna was a delight, following us in the van, making sure we never made a wrong turn, and that we were always well equipped with water, snacks, and everything else we could possibly need! (Frankly, I expected someone to show up with e-bikes and GPS routes. I did not realize that we would have the same kind of personalized service as the more expensive group bike tours!)
Another highlight was the spectacular Oyster experience where we got to eat fresh oysters straight from the sea and drink homemade wine with one of Ston's premiere Oyster farmers -- while learning about oyster farming onboard his little boat.
So many great experiences (Shout out to Ovi, our awesome tour guide in Split!) I could go on and on, but suffice to say that Robi was SO accommodating and attentive to every last detail. His inside knowledge and suggestions were spot on. (e.g., Ston, the town I was on the fence about, ended up being one of our favorites!)
This was our first time booking with KimKim and we are hooked! Hvala to Robi and Borna!!!

Hotel Reviews

Riva Marina Hvar Hotel

Hvar

Beautiful upscale hotel right on the water. Excellent service!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malo More

Ston

What a find! This brand new, charming, spotless 2 bedroom-2 bathroom home in Mali Ston was an unexpected gift! Surrounded by fig, lemon, lime, pomegranate trees + rosemary and lavender with tons of room to spread out and chill! Nice break from hotels in this charming little town!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Goodbye Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Lovely driver picked us up at the city walls and even suggested a stop to take a final photo over Dubrovnik!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar island and town

Hvar

Visit to Korčula island and town

Korčula

Dubrovnik Old Town and the City Walls

Croatia

Dubrovnik is a beautiful historic city that must be visited, however, it can ge very crowded!

Cycling from Ston across hinterlands torwards Dubrovnik

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling Mljet island and National Park

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling On Pelješac Penisula To Ston

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling on Korčula island - first day of cyling

Korčula

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First, our local specialist was Stephen Molloy, not Isabelle. And, if I could have given a 4.8 rather than a 4, I would have. Most of the planning process was excellent, with Stephen responsive to, and patient with, our revisions in itinerary. Perhaps twice I wished for more prompt responses to questions, even if the response was, "I'm going to need a few days to sort that out". Having said that, Stephen helped us come up with an outstanding experience. With only one exception the accommodations were very good to excellent. That exception, the Stirling Highland Hotel, has already been communicated to Stephen.
Our guide, David, that helped us with a hike at Glencoe was wonderful; supportive, knowledgeable, personable, and easily adjusted to our needs.
Scotland is a beautiful and interesting country. We are grateful to have had a glimpse of its history, its highlands and coastline, and its warm and generous people. With Stephen's assistance we planned a trip that allowed us to travel about 700 miles in 15 days. More than once we asked each other whether we could stay in a place for two or three weeks more.
This was truly more wonderful than we imagined. Thank you Stephen for helping us to plan and for checking with us several times to make sure the trip was going well.

We had a wonderful time in the Galapagos, partly on our own and partly with guides and drivers arranged by Isabel. We loved staying on two different islands (Santa Cruz and Isabella) to experience the contrast -one developed and busy, the other slow slow slow with a dirt road as main street.
Snorkeling at Concha de Perla and las Tuneles and kayaking at las Tintoreras were highlights. Beware the boat ride to Los Tuneles on a rough sea, it can be pretty exciting.

Isabel was lovely - patient and helpful throughout the planning with many changes on our part including a delay in our trip due to unexpected surgery for one of us.

All of our tour guides were amazing. All guides were extremely knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting and able to answer all my crazy questions. Our driver in Siem Reap deserves a special award. He had cold water and cold wipes ready for us before and after every single stop. It was so hot in Cambodia that we needed these. Seriously, our driver in Cambodia anticipated our every need.

Activity Reviews

Hoi An Street Walking tour(N)

Hoi An

Hoi An is an amazing city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital

Hue

Be warned, the imperial city is HUGE!! Lol. Not something anyone can change, but it’s large, there’s a lot of history and it’s extremely hot in September. However, it’s beautiful and a must see for sure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (La Pandora)

Vietnam

Truthfully, the boat needs updating. It’s a humid, hot country so I understand a certain amount of wear and tear. The staff were amazing, service is not lacking one bit. However, the boat is old and our bathroom had a very bad smell. Otherwise, great time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Half Day

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Hanoi Like a Local

Hanoi

Our guide Jade is an absolute gem. She took care of us, answered all our questions and made sure we had a very authentic experience. Would recommend this tour 100 percent!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cam Thanh Fishing Village Tour & Basket Boat Ride

Hoi An

This was our favorite day of the trip. The Day family that hosted us were amazing. Loved everything about Hoi An.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip to Bali with a perfect balance of cultural sites, activities, and pleasure time. I really loved this tour and would definitely use this tour company again.

My wife Miriam and I have traveled the world together for the last 40 years. Usually independent, self-guided. An occasional small group tour.

We asked kimkim to plan a 3 week private trip to Finland. August/September. Goals: to experience out of the way rural and urban destinations, visit skilled artisans in their workshops, sample good food, both hearty and simple, and learn what gives Finland its special character.

To fill every day’s schedule completely/sensibly, but with time/flexibility to veer off and see what was around the next corner.

Kimkim’s Moonika delivered exactly what we wanted.

And then some.

We explored fantastic landscapes, met intriguing people. Each day was singular and always in a different way than any before.

Studied with the most amazing artisans who shared details of their time-honored family trades, workshops, sometimes centuries old. A contemporary leather handbag designer/craftswoman personally demonstrated how she produces her beautiful work and sources her supplies.

Helped bake a favorite dessert with just picked berries … which, still warm from the oven, we enjoyed at the end of an action packed visit with a nationally recognized artisan family.

Bear watching in overnight wetlands blind • day trip to Estonia • Iitalia factory • sleeper train to Rovaniemi • dogsledding training tips • learned the different shapes and fuzz on reindeer antlers

While large groups of tourists plodded by, our local nature guides stopped to point out unique Finnish plants, trees, insects, rocks … and told a beloved folk story about the bird that just swooped by.

We learned the names of everyone’s family at home … their pets, too.

Thanks, Kimkim and Moonika, for making it all happen.

Fantastic.

David and Miriam
USA

Hotel Reviews

Kurula's Resort

Pyhätunturi

The resort was the best. It'll be exceptional when it's done. The staff was superb and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Turku

Turku

The Park Hotel was a highlight. It was different from the modern ones and we loved the old one.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overnight Train

Old-fashioned but totally contemporary and fun. Best night of sleep over all the nice hotels. Wish we could go again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kuusamo to Pyhä Transfer with a stop at a Husky Farm

Finland

This was one of the very best stops of the entire trip! The hosts spent endless time with us. Super memories of lots of dogs barking, people laughing … and learning so much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bird & Wildlife Watching Tour

Pyhä

The Bird & Wildlife Watching Tour was superb, the guide was retired military and passionate about nature. The Aurora Adventure was fun, despite not seeing the lights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnish Legends and Stories Around the Fire

Rovaniemi

The workshop was an unexpected highlight and the stories around the fire were in-depth, really interesting, and not touristy at all. The guide was passionate and knowledgeable, which made the experience even more special.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Industrial Past of Tampere

Tampere

The tower was super and the local craft shop was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picnic Cruise Along the Aura River

Turku

Despite the rain, the guide made it fun and interesting. The cruise was a highlight.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porvoo Design Tour

Helsinki

My guide got mixed up with another group but the hotel staff and everyone involved were so helpful and friendly, turning the situation into a really fun memory.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Adventure at Lake Pyhäjärvi

Pyhä

Our guide "tried hard" but no aurora seen that night. But exceptional fun sitting around fire at his house with his devoted dogs, learning about his family and talking "horses". Visited stables andsaddle room of what might be the farthest north "western horse" operation. Unexpected fun,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arctic Wilderness Hike (Summer)

Rovaniemi

Easy to rate - because Barbara was hands down the best trail guide ever. Funny, smart, forward thinking ... plus taught us to use a fire starting flint, shared amazing stories and nature details from start to finish. But - we taught HER how to make a Finnish variation of our traditional "smore". Substitute a ginger cookie, delicious Finnish chocolate and strawberry flavored marshmallows for the traditional plain old graham crackers, dull American chocolate and white marshmallows ... grilled over a fire started with her flint.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fabulous trip to Portugal planned for us by Rita! The hotel choices were excellent and just what we were looking for, the transportations services were always on time and without any glitches, the tours were all super fun and we especially enjoyed lunch at the Quinta in the Douro valley where the owner of the Quinta met us for lunch and did a wine pairing for us. All our guides were great and Paulo Pires planned an outstanding touring day for me.
Rita was communicating with us before, during and after the trip. She was always very prompt in responding to questions and emails. I would plan another trip with Rita in an instant and would highly recommend her.

Overall, the trip was absolutely amazing. Shauna was very easy to get a hold of, and it was a great advocate for us throughout our trip. We loved staying in Glendalough and seeing the ring of Kerry was mind blowing. We would definitely do this again, especially with the assistance of Our guide. The only issue that we ran into was that when we arrived in Dublin, we went to go pick up our rental car, and the rental car company did not tell us if there was a time limit on the pick up. So, we arrived at noon , and our car was already rented out to somebody else so we had to rent a more expensive vehicle for our trip.