Kimkim Trip Reviews

Both Axel (who handled planning before we left) and Jesus (who helped with logistics and last minute changes once we arrived) from On The Go were fantastic - always super responsive, flexible and keen to make our trip absolutely perfect for us. Despite our regular flip-flopping in terms of requests!

Our trip to Argentina was absolutely fantastic - hotels, day-trips and logistics were all wonderful. Using Kimkim and On The Tour made everything very straightforward and we benefitted from excellent local knowledge. The overall price was also very reasonable.

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending to others.

Let me start by explaining that I made this as difficult as I possibly could. Not intentionally, of course, it just happened that way. I started planning this trip in January of 2018, with intention of paying it off (they offer simple payment plans) by the end of the year, with departure the first week of January 2019. I set up an itinerary and began the payment process. Half way through the year, however, life happened, throwing a giant roadblock in my way. I had already been working with James, who I guess left the company and transferred me to Hayley. When I told her that I needed to postpone my trip for at least a year, she jumped right on it. Despite the fact that we had already reserved travel and admissions tickets, she was able to get all but $77 refunded to me, with everything else I had paid for to roll over to the next year when I could continue payments. Simple, right? It doesn’t end there.

Over the next year, I had more time to explore online what Peru had to offer, and of which KimKim was connected to about everything. The more I learned, the more I wanted to do. As I began to think about extending my trip from 10 days to 14, Hayley got transferred and yet a third travel specialist was assigned to my planned journey, Carla, who was up to date on all that I had been going through as soon as we were introduced. I proposed my new ideas of itinerary to Carla, and within a few days she had amended it and adjusted the cost, explaining why certain attractions and activities cost different amounts than others. When another financial burden in life fell upon me and I had to change the itinerary again (what a pain the @$$ I am, yah?) Carla finally helped me settle in on an impressive experience for even the biggest adventurers. Sacsayhuaman led it off in Cusco the day after I was retrieved at the airport by my guide for the two weeks, Rolfi, who came highly recommended by a former Peru visitor whom I met through one of these reviews! Then we embarked into the Sacred Valley, where the majority of the adventuring would take place. Rolfi really was incredible, and on our first day hike to Huchuy Quosco I quickly recognized why he had been so well reviewed. Not only was he knowledgeable of all the sites we visited over the next two weeks, but he was from Calca, just about the center of the Valley, and knew so many of the locals. His English is college level (fortunately for a Spanglish speaking gringo like myself), and even speaks Quechua, so no matter where we were he had a kind word for everyone we encountered. Then we were off to Chinchero for some paddleboarding. The guide for this water trip was a Cusco local named Barrac, and was not only very informed of the area but super friendly and easy to talk to. I had one day off to do my own thing and when I asked Rolfi what I should do, he suggested a local half day hike that would bring me past a very seldom seen by tourists archeological site in town and offered to walk with me. We had a great time buddying up and talking about all types of subjects from personal to international. Next was the Via Ferrata day, with a stay overnight in the Skylodge, and the zip line tour back down the following morning. For this, Rolfi kept his feet on the ground. Also, the whole experience comes with a bit of a price tag, but I can assure you, it is worth every last bit. The folks at Natura Vive were not just incredible guides and safety instructors, but considering what they had to work with in a plexiglass and aluminum (aerospace grade) dome hanging off of the edge of a rock face, these guys were great cooks as well! And so darned hospitable that I felt as though I was staying at the Ritz Carlton. The next morning, as the last zip line end had been reached and the harnesses were coming off, there were Rolfi and our driver ready to whisk us off to the next experience. Up towards the high countryside we went again for a day of mountain biking that started with an easy peddle to the Moray archeological site where we had lunch and walked around the area as Rolfi explained the site’s significance and development. Then, since the light rain had ended and our awesome driver had scraped all the red mud from our bike tires and brakes, we shed our rain jackets and headed for the downhill single tracks to the village of Maras, where we stopped momentarily at the town square. Then we continued on to the salt pool mines in the canyon where Rolfi again had much information on the matter, and finally down to the lower level of the valley floor again. That was the point where I recognized the awesomeness of this trip and gave myself the first appreciation of putting together so much happiness for myself. Another day hike was positioned in this time period somewhere, just around Calca and really enjoyable with all the evening rains bringing such a beautiful green out across the valley and mountains, with flowers blooming everywhere, of which Rolfi of course knew all the names. Then came the apex of the trip, the Lares Trek. I don’t want to spoil any of it for everyone, but fricken WOW! The hike was manageable for someone like me who is in pretty darned good physical shape, but I feel that Rolfi sensed my desire for a leg burn workout on this journey and rather than insist on too many breaks allowed me to romp onward at my own pace. The first night of camp I felt came too soon, as I still had energy to burn. But Rolfi assures me that I would want plenty of stored fuel for the next day, set to begin at 5:30am. He wasn’t joking. The elevation change of the next day had my heart and lungs trying to figure out a pattern together, but by about the time we were an hour from the summit I was stepping with a good rhythm that wouldn’t drop me but get me there steadily. Recognizing this, Rolfi let me take point for the final 300m of the climb. You can see in the expression on my face in the photo he took right when we reached the acme of around 4300m that my mind was the clearest it had ever been and I’ve never been higher on happiness (pun so very intended). After a snack and a pleasant sun soak session we continued further downward to our camp for the evening surrounded by majestic peaks and the sound of waterfalls, creeks and rivers flowing all around us. Oh, and the porters cooking our food, setting up our sites, providing tea, coffee, and even hot water bottles for our sleeping bags at night? Top notch, first rate, unbeatable...there just aren’t enough words to explain them. The hike down the valley to our waiting driver the next day was pleasant after such a thigh burning push the day prior, and I welcomed the open doors of the pickup truck when we reached our driver. In Calca, KimKim had arranged for me lodging at Casa de Aida, a wonderful zen style retreat of a hostel run by the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful mama in the whole valley. Breakfast was fresh from her garden and hens each morning, with freshly roasted and ground coffee to fill my belly to the point of tastebud happiness. No, that doesn’t sound like it makes any sense, but that’s how it felt. Stay there. You’ll see. My time with Rolfi culminated with two days of hiking Machu Picchu. Despite the departure time from Calca at 4:30am, Mama Aida had a thermos of coffee and some breakfast sandwiches prepared fresh for us and hand delivered on our way out the door. When I say that she is the best, I absolutely mean it. There is no one better, I promise. Machu Picchu, I think, is what you make of it, so take the time to spend two days. Get off the train like we did at KM 104 and hike the Inca Trail to again pass through a separate site not many see close up, and then pop out over a ridge through the Sun Gate, the true entrance to Machu Picchu and a stunningly awesome view of the site and the looming Huayna Picchu looking over it all. We took a break there and absorbed the energy before slowly making our way down through the site to the buses which brought us to Aguas Calientes, a town only accessible by train or hiking. Seriously, there are no cars, cabs, rickshaws or even scooters on these streets. The buses that run up to Machu Picchu and back to town? Yup, brought in by train. We spent the night in town after a pleasant dinner at one of the many fine restaurants and awoke bright and early the next morning to catch the bus up. The stairway is also an option if you are feeling courageous, but we had reserved tickets to hike that protector peak, Huayna Picchu, which must be reserved months ahead of time since they only allow two groups of 200 guests per day access to the famed “Stairs Of Death”. They weren’t that bad, considering the view from the top of this wonder of the world, but if you charge them without stopping the way I did, you’ll definitely feel it. I was beyond happy to have my trekking poles for this, especially on the decent. Also, if you opt for this exclusive opportunity, do yourself a favor and attack it in the first group, earlier in the morning before the sun is high. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself when the sun starts beating down on you on the way back down. Being the most famous of the country’s attractions, Rolfi of course knew much about the site and not once did he bore me with facts. Tourist trap or not, a truly impressive experience. After this I was sad to part ways with Rolfi, as I returned to Cusco for another night at the hostel El Balcon, of course set up by KimKim. This place was about as comfortable as can be with a fantastic breakfast in the morning. For the final part of my itinerary, I was greeted the next day by none other than Barrac, the paddleboarding guide who was now going to be my rafting guide. We drove back down from the upper elevations of Cusco for a three hour rafting experience which culminated with a hot shower, sauna, excellent hot meal with tea and coffee, and a review of the photos and videos captured by the onboard GoPro camera. I was returned to Cusco for one last night at the hostel, then picked up the next day by the driver once more. At the behest of a friend back home, I decided to extend my trip an extra few days to just kick back and relax, decompress before heading back to the states. This idea came before my first itinerary change, and Hayley was kind enough to connect me with a couple in the Sacred Valley who have an apartment that they rent out through Airbnb. KimKim was even gracious enough to have the driver cart me all the way back out to the valley (90mins)! I’m telling you, KimKim went above and beyond to make my dream escape come true, and I am already scouting their website for my next adventure...and I’m still sitting at the Airbnb right now! I really can’t say enough, porqué no hay palabras! Peru és paradíso, and KimKim and Quechua Treks know how to show it to you! Feel free to check out all my pics from this incredible adventure on Instagram @rain_downfire and shoot me a message if you have any questions or want any advice. If you journey with KimKim, you’ll never be lost. Safe travels, and happy trails!

Gathered our far-flung family (Mom, Dad, Son (23), Daughter (20) in Nepal for a couple of weeks' vacation January 2020.

Travel Made Easy:
Amanda crafted an excellent itinerary to meet our request to mix trekking with a few relaxing days. KimKim team headed by Raj worked together to make every transfer from arrival to departure smooth (drivers to/from airports, hotels, trailheads as well as arranging for Trekker's Cards, entry fees).

Guides:
Our trekking guide Rajesh and porters were friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They even found a great spot to dry out and warm up on one rainy day. In Kathmandu, Pratikshya delivered a great crash course on Nepal's World Heritage sites and religions while connecting us with tasty lunches.

Highly Recommend:
Great for families like ours who always wanted to see the Himalayas and are trying fit a lot in to a couple of weeks.

My family and I went to Egypt for around 10 days and visited Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada. We visited a lot of Temples and historical sites, went on a Nile cruise on an incredible vessel, and stayed in incredible hotels throughout the holiday. Everything from transport to the itinerary was scheduled and planned very well by Kimkim. Communication from the staff was very professional and we always felt taken care of.
Our guides Mohammad Samir and Mahmud Kamal were extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly, and we learnt so much from them. We're very thankful to them for making our trip so enjoyable and one we will never forget!

Alex was incredible to deal with. From our first contact on KimKim, she was always available and made a great effort to really understand what we wanted. The trip went exactly as planned. Absolutely no issues along the way. And when we did have an issue on our home bound flight which had absolutely nothing to do with her, she was there helping us with last minute accomodation.
Alex also made an effort to come and meet us while in Hanoi.
The accomodation was great all the way through, Of a good standard and very comfortable. Special mention needs to be made of our guide Khoa who was with us for 5 days in the North. His knowledge was extensive of the region it’s history and politics. For us he made that part of our trip, and set a very high bar for any future guides. He was just a delight to be with.
The highlight for us was Phu Luong, a fabulous Mountain area in the North. We stayed in the eco retreat there which was beautiful and highly recommended as was the trekking.
We loved our boat cruise on Ha Long Bay and highly recommend a 2 night 3 day cruise. Much better than just one night. The standard of accomodation on the boat .. VSpirit premier was fantastic. Food and tour on our 2nd day was amazing
And of course Hoi An. What a great place to visit. Loved it. We relaxed here went to the beach and ambled through the old city
Ho Chi Minh was not our favourite.. 2 days was enough there.
And Alex was with us on text every step of the way. All we can say is Alex you are fabulous and we highly recommend you. Was a delight to meet you and put a face to our months of contact.

Our trip organised by kimkim was 5*. The trip was so well organsied; we didn't have To worry about anything. All our tour guides were excellent, knowledgeable and flexible which really helped with 3 young children. The accomodation waa faultless and our drivers were all on time and safe. We went back and forth on the intinerary for while and Thuy, our adviser, was happy to change, amend and suggest things as appropriate and didn't mind the back ans forth. The resulting itinerary was great for the family and includes enough to do as well as relaxing days. We couldn't have planned such a great trip without kimkim!

To say this was a perfect experience is an understatement! Sangita and her husband, Bipin, provided my girlfriend and I with the dream excursion around Kathmandu. They made it so special, tailoring each step of the way to our wants, needs and desires. Trying authentic foods, exclusive sightseeing, meeting local friends and even directing us to the best (and fair) shops were all part of our journey - not to mention the stories, laughs and unique exchanges along the way. A hard 10/10! Thank you so much Sangita and Bipin! We're forever grateful for such an incredible adventure.

Jorge and Melina did a great job and I was very happy with my trip. On very short notice during the high season, Jorge put together a perfect itinerary. I hate to plan and Jorge took all the work out of it. He put together a good balance of the big, can’t miss sites and activities that were a little more off the beaten track. Jorge helpfully worked with me to adjust the itinerary to meet my interests, and in hindsight, I only wish I had gotten more involved. Every tour they arranged was fun and worthwhile with knowledgeable and professional guides and comfortable transportation. During my travels, Melina kept close tabs on me to make sure things were going smoothly. The few times I sent her a message, she quickly responded and she would check in on me every couple days when I hadn’t been in touch.

I have been asked to write a review of my experience with Kim Kim and for me in particular Luciana who was my representative in Brazil.

This tour was something I do not do - when traveling I usually ensure family are available to look after me but I decided to take a risk.

Luciana poor dear was inundated with questions / concerns / reservations from the time I decided to make the booking. Her patience / professionalism and efficiency was first class throughout.

When I eventually arrived in Brazil it was raining - my tour guide who met me at the airport was very supportive and took me around to a few places of interest and for a meal.

The official tour was in a coach / bus that took me and a group who I knew none of the to places of interest- but when we hit sugar loaf mountain / cable car ride and the famous Christ statue that is when my breath was taken away - the view was stunning.

We then went to a restaurant for a nice buffet.

After I walked on my own on Copacabana beech and had a greater experience - food / people / music / sea / sunshine- what a rush.

I felt safe at all times even with shop keepers who knew I did not know the local language.

My holiday started with a very skeptical attitude and has ended with my thinking how to plan the next one if God spares my life.

The holiday was wonderful and has to be repeated- just walking on the beech alone is a holiday in itself.

To Kim Kim - Lucinda and her crew - thank you for making a miserable old fart of a middle aged man have an experience of a lifetime

Rating - mega great

Kevin Moses

We booked the whole CostaRica 10 days tour through KimKim. The people who helped us with planning and while we were on vacation were extremely helpful. They answered all our questions and made several changes to the itinerary, activities, and hotels to accommodate us. The activities were planned well, the travel from one destination to another was nicely arranged. We stayed at three hotels - Hotel Arenal Manoa, Senda Monteverde and Shana at Manuel Antonio. The hotels Arenal Manoa and Senda were of luxury style. Senda's service was just extra-ordinary. However, the hotel Shana, its food, and its service are not of luxury caliber. My only suggestion is for the KimKim team to review this hotel before recommending it as a luxury option.

Milenka was excellent to work with. She was very responsive to my many questions while planning the trip and was very flexible and helpful when we had to make a major change a few weeks before embarking on the trip. All of the guides, drivers and planned experiences were absolutely wonderful.

Jack was exceptional. From the planning stages to the end of the trip, Jack was always willing to accommodate my numerous requests to customise the trip.

In addition to the standard plans, Jack helped me to plan the whole trip to meet my specific requirements. Even when some of the guides were not up to the expectations, Jack was quick to get involved and sort things out for me.

I would definitely recommend Jack for anyone visiting Myanmar!

We are so pleased we chose Kimkim to organise our Moroccan adventure. Our driver, our accommodation, our itinerary, our guides - everything was incredibly well executed and communicated. We saw tour buses everywhere and were so glad that our trip was customised and local. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Hakim and his team.

My family is a very active bunch and we love adventure and keeping busy. We certainly had all of this on our vacation. Randall listened to what we wanted, and was easy to contact regarding changes in plans and what we wanted to do. We spent the first half of our trip at La Fortuna and the second half in Manuel Antonio. Our accommodations at Manuel Antonio were fabulous, with outrageous views, helpful staff, spacious for our family of 6. I usually like to plan my own trips, but having Randall took a lot of the load off and it was nice having someone to help out when issues arose.

Oliver,
First, let me say that we enjoyed our trip and have no regrets. Kimkim and you generally did an excellent job. The hotels were generally a pleasure, with a great deal of character. There were odds and ends they could do better, but we were quite happy with them. The pace we had worked out gradually before the trip was just about right. We had enough time to simply wander on our own, which we value. I think there is a tendency to try to pack in too much, and we were glad we had pushed back a little to ensure a more relaxing pace.
In terms of the tours, the fishing tour at Cartagena was the highlight, because it was so participatory, but the tour of Cartagena town was extremely well done too. The guide was really knowledgeable and enjoyed sharing his knowledge of Cartagena with us. The tour in Tayrona Park was fine, but I only managed two hours of the four-hour activity. The guide did a good job of substituting a route I could manage. On the tours, our one general comment is that it would be helpful to have a more detailed idea of what is involved ahead of time. I wonder if it would be possible for the tour provider to get on the phone with the customer the day before the tour to go over what is planned and answer any questions.
The only significant problems were on the Amazon part of the trip. We arrived in mid-afternoon and were met, though by people from a different organization than you had mentioned. There was an excellent translator, someone hired just for our visit. She provided the continuity for our trip but because she had not worked with the organization before, she was learning how they worked as we went along. We asked for an itinerary for the four days in the Amazon, but no one seemed to know the program beyond the broadest terms. We should have had the time to sit down with someone from the agency to discuss a detailed itinerary and should have spent that night in Leticia, repacking for the field. Instead, right off the plane, we were taken to their office and asked to repack for the trek, to don rubber boots to go to meet an indigenous leader that afternoon. We walked for an hour or two on muddy roads to a large traditional home to listen to a community leader hold forth on the traditional devotion to the environment and brotherly love. To be honest, it wasn’t worth the trek. We stayed that night in a local hotel that was basic but very well managed. We were told that the next day we would walk a half hour to an indigenous facility called Merisha on a lagoon near the Amazon, in Peru. From our earlier communications I gather you had been told it was not too ambitious a trek for me. I was told the same thing, that it would be a half-hour walk through the jungle.
I can only say that that assessment wildly off base. Much to the trip was wading through flooded jungle, through thick growth, water up to our knees, negotiating brambles and poor footing and tangled roots underwater. There were swarms of mosquitos and other biting insects. It was a very challenging trek even for my wife and because her boots were not high enough, the guide had to carry her on his back at several deeper places. He provided interesting insights as we went but it took us nearly three hours to complete the walk, without a stop. We arrived at Merisha absolutely exhausted.
Facilities in Merisha were rudimentary but of course we expected that. The lagoon and river there were magical and the guide was very competent, and inspired confidence. We never felt insecure, just exhausted tired and frustrated. Frustrated because on arrival at Merisha we found tourists arriving on day trips, having come by boat on a flooded road a stone’s throw from where we had embarked on our trek. We demanded to return from Merisha by boat and at first this was resisted. Later, it was agreed to if we paid extra (not much). It was an easy trip and took twenty to thirty minutes.
There seem to have been failures in communications between Kimkim and the local agency and between the local agency and the contractors they used. I think I made my condition clear before the trip and cannot imagine how anyone imagined I wanted to deal with an ordeal like the trip to Merisha.
In our earlier discussion you had stressed that it anything seemed to much, we could simply not to it. That seemed reasonable at the time. But it assumes an informed decision, and we were not always given enough information and sometimes given incorrect information. Plus, once you are a couple of miles into the jungle and you realize what you have gotten into, and the guide tells you it is just as far to go back as to go ahead, just dropping out is not an option.
The next day, back on the Amazon, we embarked on a mototboat trip involving several stops, interesting and not too tiring. Again, the translator was very helpful. The only downer was at a monkey island park where we were swarmed by tiny monkeys. One snatched my hat and another scratched (bit?) the top of my head badly enough for it to bleed. Fortunately, we and the translator had first aid supplies. I believe it was a scratch and not a bite but I will see my doctor tomorrow and get a rabies shot, just to be on the safe side.
When after the boat ride we returned to Leticia, we were taken to the office of the local agency to retrieve our suitcases and go to our hotel. The hotel was an older place, and at first seemed ok. But our room was an ugly share of green, and bare except for a couple of metal frame beds with matresses made up with sheets and pillows. It felt like a hostel room, just with fewer beds. There was a small unattractive bathroom and no hot water, indeed to water was icy. After three days in the jungle, dirty, our hair matted with sunscreen and insecticide, and bone tired, the hotel was an extremely disappointment. After I googled other hotels in Leticia, and found there were much better options, we asked to be moved. You declined to do so, saying that the local agent had made the arrangement and was the one who had to deal with it. After one quite unpleasant interview with a woman who had arranged the trip and was remarkably rude, the local agency’s logistics chief turned up and moved us to a better hotel, at their cost. We appreciated it very much. I did not appreciate your washing your hands of the situation.
I think you can see that the Amazon portion fell short of expectations. We would do it again but mistakes were made that should have been avoided, largely through failures to communicate expectations clearly, I suspect. I think all concerned had good intentions but I do hope that future travelers to the Amazon with KimKim can arrive with clearer expectations and find fewer surprises.
Best, John Bruce

I had a great time in China. My tour guides were great! Shout out to the guides Yan, Fish Lee, and Run for the great service. Also, the drivers got us to each location safe and sound and they are very much appreciated. I really enjoyed all of our sightseeing locations. One of my most memorable activities was the dumpling making class in Xi’an. The local family was very nice and cooked some very delicious dishes for us. Great hospitality! Overall, I had a very positive experience booking with KimKim, who referred us to Peicy, our travel consultant, and I am looking forward to our next trip!

I was hesitant about using an online travel agent but Randall was great; arranging and rearranging the schedule and activities as our plans evolved. The trip to Costa Rica was fantastic and is the best vacation I’ve had, ever! There is such a lush concentration of plants and every kind of living thing. Our accommodations were all first rate, we particularly enjoyed the El Establo Hotel at Monteverde. We traveled Jan 1-Jan 13 and enjoyed excellent weather, were never rained on in the daytime. We had several nature tours and a fab zip line excursion in Monteverde. Check out one of our guides Instagram sites: Jpablo_cruz226. We also visited the Mt Arenal area and a memorable highlight for us was the river cruise on the Rio Frío in the Cano Negro reserve with guide Joudan, who was especially knowledgeable. All the transfers and flights that Randall arranged for us went off without a hitch; we found two of the drivers, Jose and Jorge most helpful and professional. We also had a rented car and adventures driving the winding bumpy roads. If we had been choosing our own vehicle it would have been under powered and wrong for the terrain; but with a good travel agent to help we enjoyed the ride! We also had a cool domestic flight in a teensy plane to round out our transportation experience. It was great to see the ocean, jungle, crop lands, and mountains from a birds eye view. Sansa Air was excellent.

Emeline did a phenomenal job carefully exploring and matching our desired sites, interests, activities, budget and timeframe with an action-packed itinerary and travel arrangements that were perfect for our family’s first trip to New Zealand. Having limited knowledge of the country nor time to plan ourselves, we really relied on Emeline’s expertise and guidance. She did not let us down! Highlights included mountain biking in the Redwoods Forest of Rotorua, hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, wine tasting in Martinborough, whitewater rafting in Queenstown, a cruise on the Milford Sound, exploring the Te Anau Glowworm caves, jet boating and hiking along the Matukituki River by Wanaka and hiking the Hooker Valley in the shadow of Aoraki Mount Cook. She really helped us to optimize our 15 days, steering us away from locations that were not feasible if we wanted to contain time we’d spend in the car each day, while suggesting local highlights to take in as we travelled. We especially enjoyed our boutique, B&B accommodations in Rotorua, Wanaka and Twizel. Emeline and the Once Upon a Trip team were very responsive to our last minute booking requests and any questions we had. Trip was a success... our adult daughters want to travel again with us! Looking forward to our next trip to New Zealand and engaging Emeline in the planning!

Anne was outstanding from initial contact, providing excellent advice during the planning phase and at every point during the trip. Nothing seemed too much trouble and she certainly goes the extra mile. The trip was wonderful and full of surprises. The daily itineraries were well balanced but it felt like every day had an unexpected bonus whether it was e-bikes in Bagan or the Irrawaddy cruise boat in Mandalay. We also loved meeting Anne in Mandalay. This was easily the best organised holiday we have had and we have had many. Our high expectations for the trip were exceeded.
We loved Myanmar and the people. The guides (Wai, Nay, Thinzar and Naing) were all superb....knowledgeable, enthusiastic, flexible and charming.
We were glad we did the trip in the order we did (Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake) as highlights increased as we moved through the locations. There were certainly many highlights but the balloon trip over Inle Lake probably takes the accolade.
The hotels have all been great, with the Sanctum Inle Lake up there as amongst the best that we we have ever stayed in!
I also think the holiday was excellent value. So all in all a holiday to remember.

It would have been a lot better if ferry timings were taken into planning. We reached Bodø on Saturday from Oslo, not much to do. On Sunday ferry to Lofoten was not till 1 pm so lost morning. Reached Lofoten at 4.30 pm it was pitch dark so not much to see . So literally 2 wasted days Hurtigruten to Tromso cancelled no one’s fault . Rushed to Ice hotel that evening. That was fun
Next day after dog sledding we waited 2 hrs for nothing before getting dropped at hotel .
Christmas evening and day Tromso was shut so we stayed at hotel . Last evening was good we got to see northern lights so it was good
I think days could have been better planned depending on local closings . That was the purpose of getting a local planner. I received car refunds but not Hurtigruten refund