Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 16,439 ratings
Read 16,439 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

This was my first experience with KimKim and ...
Sri Lanka | Jan 4 - Jan 16, 2020

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Ken W.
Seaside, CA | Reviewed on Jan 21, 2020
This was my first experience with KimKim and it resulted in one of the best trips I have ever taken. Our guide on the ground Nathantha was fantastic. He was very responsive and made sure that we were comfortable and safe at all times. All of the places he took us to were great. He understood what we wanted and did his best to make sure we got it. For example, we told him we were really interested in elephants and he hired an extraordinary man with a jeep that took us into the jungle and made... Read more

This was my first experience with KimKim and it resulted in one of the best trips I have ever taken. Our guide on the ground Nathantha was fantastic. He was very responsive and made sure that we were comfortable and safe at all times. All of the places he took us to were great. He understood what we wanted and did his best to make sure we got it. For example, we told him we were really interested in elephants and he hired an extraordinary man with a jeep that took us into the jungle and made sure we saw lots of elephants up close in their natural habitats. He took us to wonderful temples that weren't even on the program and explained the history and local custom. I would rate him 10 out of 10.

The planning and booking process was good, but could have been better. Natasha provided a good basic itinerary and always responded to my questions. I would have liked more details and perhaps better information. For example, when we said we wanted to go snorkeling we were told we had to go to Hikkadua, but what we had read about Hikkadua indicated that it was not our kind of place, Natasha told us that snorkeling was not possible any place else. In fact, we booked our own snorkeling trip in Mirissa that was wonderful. It seemed that changes to the itinerary were not welcomed by the local specialist and it was only grudgingly that the price reduced when we took items out. I am sure that Natasha knows a lot about travel in Sri Lanka, but too many of our interactions were canned responses rather than detailed knowledge.

Local specialist: Nathasha Abeyrathne

Amazing one-week trip to Costa Rica!
Costa Rica | Jan 8 - Jan 15, 2020

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Ariel H.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jan 20, 2020
Adrianna was amazing throughout planning our trip.
Our drivers always arrived on time and ready to pick us up -- even for our delayed flight at the start of our trip!
All our guides were fun, exciting, and very knowledgeable.
Thank you Alfredo for showing us La Fortuna Waterfall and guiding us through the orchid path and bird-sightings.
Thank you Ignacio for a witty, wonderful tour through the Hanging Bridges and for spotting countless interesting animals.
Thank you Daniel for exploring...
Read more

Adrianna was amazing throughout planning our trip.
Our drivers always arrived on time and ready to pick us up -- even for our delayed flight at the start of our trip!

All our guides were fun, exciting, and very knowledgeable.
Thank you Alfredo for showing us La Fortuna Waterfall and guiding us through the orchid path and bird-sightings.
Thank you Ignacio for a witty, wonderful tour through the Hanging Bridges and for spotting countless interesting animals.
Thank you Daniel for exploring Manuel Antonio Park with us and teaching us about the various flora and fauna.

We really loved the views of the Arenal Volcano and of course the warm beach waters that hug you as you step in. Best of all, the locals of Costa Rica are so friendly and helpful.

Local specialist: Adriana Prado
Adriana
Adriana Prado
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 23, 2020

Hello Ariel,
Thank you for your nice comments about your trip to Costa Rica. It is great to know that you enjoyed our country, our friendly people, locations and activities. :-)
It was my pleasure to assist you and organize a nice experience and unforgettable memories for you. I hope you visit us in the future to live a new adventure here in this little paradise.
Kind regards
Adriana

Golden Triangle India - 4 day tour
India | Jan 2 - Jan 6, 2020

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Stephany A.
East Palo Alto, CA | Reviewed on Jan 20, 2020
KimKim was great to work with to organize this tour. Priya, our local specialist was very helpful. Because of the time difference, it usually took 1 day to respond. My planning of this trip was revised (by me) many times, and Priya managed all of the changes easily. All of our transportation, accommodations, and tours was seamless. The guides were knowledgable and helpful. I most appreciated our driver, Puran. He was with us from the moment we arrived in Delhi, until we departed Delhi. ... Read more

KimKim was great to work with to organize this tour. Priya, our local specialist was very helpful. Because of the time difference, it usually took 1 day to respond. My planning of this trip was revised (by me) many times, and Priya managed all of the changes easily. All of our transportation, accommodations, and tours was seamless. The guides were knowledgable and helpful. I most appreciated our driver, Puran. He was with us from the moment we arrived in Delhi, until we departed Delhi. I felt that he was always looking out for us - our experience and our safety. I also learned a lot about India from him. I will definitely be looking to KimKim again whenever I need help planning another trip. They have local specialists in many countries.
Thank you KimKim, Priya, and Puran for a great 4 day, whirlwind tour of the Golden Triangle.

Local specialist: Priya Dikshit
Priya
Priya Dikshit
Local specialist in New Delhi | Replied on Jan 22, 2020

Dear Stephany,
Thank you very much for your precious feedback. We are glad and honored to plan and organize your India trip in a short time frame! It was great to have you in India and I hope you will come back soon!!
Regards
Priya

Northern Morocco with guide Ismail: Tangier - Akchour Falls - Chefchaouen - Volubilis - Meknes - Fes - Rabat - Tangier
Morocco | Jan 15 - Jan 18, 2020

Rebecca
Rebecca S.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 20, 2020
Megan put together a jam-packed 4-day itinerary for me as I wanted to fit in as much as possible in the short time I had available. Ismail collected me on day one in Tangier, and I initially had no idea how fortunate I was to have him as my driver and guide. Every day, multiple times a day, I was grateful for his company, his generosity, his knowledge and advice, and his driving. There is no way that I would have seen and experienced all that I did without Ismail at the wheel and by my side.... Read more

Megan put together a jam-packed 4-day itinerary for me as I wanted to fit in as much as possible in the short time I had available. Ismail collected me on day one in Tangier, and I initially had no idea how fortunate I was to have him as my driver and guide. Every day, multiple times a day, I was grateful for his company, his generosity, his knowledge and advice, and his driving. There is no way that I would have seen and experienced all that I did without Ismail at the wheel and by my side. I can’t express my gratitude enough, thank you to Megan for booking Ismail, and thank you to my new friend Ismail for a truly amazing holiday.

As for Morocco itself, I am in love! A trip to Morocco has been on my wish list forever and four days has only left me craving more. Akchour falls and the drive through the mountains to Chefchaouen was a spectacular start to my first day. Ismail and I shared Moroccan tea by the falls and lunch in Chefchaouen, and later in the afternoon he accompanied me to the Spanish mosque to watch the sunset - as a solo female traveller Ismail’s company was very much appreciated. I spent a very comfortable night at the homely and welcoming Dar Laman, with a delicious breakfast in the morning.

The following day we travelled to Volubilis, where I spent an hour with a fantastic locally born guide touring the Roman ruins, however I could have easily spent the whole day exploring here. Ismail navigated the traffic and many police cameras onwards to Meknes, where I visited Bab el-Mansour gate and explored the Médina, finishing with lunch on the roof terrace at Restaurant Salma overlooking Prison de Kara. We finished the day with a short drive to Fes to check into the surprisingly luxurious Dar Tresor, my riad for two nights.

Fes...oh what a surprise, no one warned me that Fes would steal my heart! I cry every time I think of my life changing day in Fes with the inspiring city guide Kammal, and Ismail driving us between sights. Fes is an ancient melting pot of spiritual and cultural traditions that I can’t begin to describe, I just know that I will be going back, hopefully one day soon. Kammal also arranged for me to visit the restored Royal Médina Spa for a Hammam and massage, where the service and ambience was impeccable, including a guide to collect and return me to my riad.

On the final day we traveled first to Rabat to see the Hassan Tower and Royal Mausoleum, before heading north again to Tangier. I slept while Ismail drove, and he made a special detour for me to visit the Caves of Hercules and Cap Spartel, before carrying my bag up the hill to my final riad.

Thank you to everyone, especially Ismail - a true gentleman, who helped to make this trip the best experience of my life, I am already planning my next trip to Morroco to visit the south and the deserts.

Local specialist: Megan Lower
Megan
Megan Lower
Local specialist in Massachusetts | Replied on Mar 20, 2020

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time, and that you weren't overwhelmed by how much was packed into a short time! We look forward to showing you the desert next time!

Detailed review of our Colombia itinerary
Colombia | Dec 28 - Jan 11, 2020

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Vanessa D.
Gary, IN | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2020
Overall the trip was fantastic. There were a few things we probably would have done differently if we had more knowledge about the area. Here is our detailed review of the itinerary: Day 1: Everything went well with the transportation from the airport to the hotel. The hotel was great. The only critique we have for the hotel is the lack of breakfast options. But the hotel was in a great location and we would stay there again. Day 2: Awesome bike tour. We really liked our guide and... Read more

Overall the trip was fantastic. There were a few things we probably would have done differently if we had more knowledge about the area. Here is our detailed review of the itinerary:

Day 1: Everything went well with the transportation from the airport to the hotel. The hotel was great. The only critique we have for the hotel is the lack of breakfast options. But the hotel was in a great location and we would stay there again.

Day 2: Awesome bike tour. We really liked our guide and all the stops he took us to. It was one of our favorite activities of the whole trip.

Day 3: Travel day went smoothly. The Hacienda was okay. Really nice service and accommodations. But the hotel was in the middle of nowhere which made it difficult to figure out what to do. Would have appreciated a hotel in a more central location (i.e. downtown Pereira). Would have also appreciated an activity planned for this day given that we got to the Hacienda so early in the day and organizing transportation ourselves for an activity that day was a process.

Day 4: The tour this day was amazing. We loved our tour guide Christian. He was very friendly and informative. The hike was amazing,. However, the hike was different than what we had thought we were doing. The initial itinerary said we would go through 6 suspension bridges and see a waterfall. The hike was changed we assume because we had to change the location of our hotel from the one in Salento to the Hacienda. We wished we would have gotten to do the longer hike and then the coffee farm the next day.

Day 5: We had no planned activities for this day. Oliver told us that there were no tours running on New Years Day. However, our tour guide Christian informed us that there were indeed lots of tours running and that most Colombians, especially in tourism, do not take the day off. We were disappointed that Oliver did not plan anything for us this day. We had to figure out what to do ourselves, including transportation which proved to be difficult for us. We ended up going to Los Termales, and it was wonderful. We don't know why Oliver did not suggest an activity like this for us, given that so many things were actually open.

Day 6: Our flight to Medellin was scheduled midday, which made it difficult for us to fully take advantage of this day in either Pereira or Medellin. We wish we would have either had an early morning flight or a later flight. We made the best of it by going to Pereira early in the morning and walking around downtown, but we wish that we would have had an activity planned for this day. Given that the original activity Oliver had planned for this day (the tour of the coffee farm) was cancelled due to our hotel location, Oliver should have also changed the time of the flight because there was nothing to do near our hotel.

The hotel in Medellin was incredible. Perfect location. We could not have loved it more.

Day 7: We had a walking tour. The tour guide Carlos was not the best. He was nice, but was not effective at communicating the history of Medellin. We probably could have done without paying for this walking tour and instead gone on the free walking tour which we heard great things about. We ended up paying Carlos extra money to take us to Parque Arvi, but he unintentionally mislead us because when we got up there it turned out what we could not do anything without paying even more money (and Carlos failed to inform us of this). And Carlos also didn't let us know that if we went up to Parque Arvi, we wouldn't then have time to do any of the trails. So basically we had to spend 60,000 additional pesos for nothing.

Day 8: We loved our tour this day with Jessica. She was by far the most knowledge tour guide we had and told us so many interesting stories about the history of Colombia. Jessica also was very flexible because apparently the tour she was going to take us on overlapped with the tour we had the day before, so she changed the tour a bit to take us to places we hadn't seen yet. In hindsight, we should have just done this tour with Jessica instead of the tour with Carlos on Day 7 and then had another activity planned for Day 8. For instance, on Day 8, we could have had a specific tour of Parque Arvi or something like that. But Jessica was fantastic.

Day 9: This was our day trip to Guatape with Jessica. Again Jessica was great, but the traffic and lines were horrendous. Because of the large crowds, we probably should have gone to Guatape in the morning and then the flower farm in the afternoon.

Day 10: We arrived to Tayrona Park. Our flight was in the late morning. We wish Oliver would have booked us an early flight so that we could have done an activity in Tayrona Park that first day. We felt like the day was wasted because there was nothing to do once we got to our hotel. The hotel was fine. Lucile was very friendly. We would have preferred to stay in a nicer hotel, but did not want to spend the extra money so we got what we paid for.

Day 11: Very fun day in Tayrona Park. However, we did not need a guide for this hike (although Jose was very nice and gave us space). It was a very manageable hike and we could have done it ourselves. What we did appreciate was the transportation to the start of the hike and that our driver picked up our passes early in the morning so that we didn't have to wait in line. We also wished we had known that there were 2 hike options, each one starting from a different entrance. If we had known, we would have picked the longer/more adventurous hike option.

Day 12: Our driver made good time driving to Cartagena. We liked our hotel. Shortly after we arrived we had a walking tour. This was the worst walking tour either of us have ever been on. Our tour guide was awful. It was hard to understand her and she did not seem knowledgeable about the things she was showing us. She could not answer our questions and in many instances even ignored our questions and just moved on. She was more concerned with showing us where her friends had shops than educating us about Cartagena. The tour was also supposed to be 4 hours, but was just short of 2 hours. However, we were happy it was over sooner so that we could walk around ourselves without her. We are upset we had to pay money for this tour (especially because there were free walking tours that had great reviews--we passed some on our tour and listened to what those tour guides were saying about Cartagena, which sounded so much more informative and interesting than what our tour guide was saying). We would not recommend Oliver ever booking this tour again for other customers.

Day 13: The cooking class was great.

Day 14: We really loved the day trip to the island. The only thing about this trip was that we had to pay for all the activities we did on the island separately. We would have liked to have known beforehand that the activities (i.e. snorkeling, cannoeing, biking) were each separate charges.

Day 15: Smooth transportation to the airport.

We appreciate how smoothly everything went. No real issues came up for us. Everything (all the tour guides and transportation) was on time. One thing we would have liked to have known before the trip was how much to tip each driver and tour guide. If we had known how much we were paying for each activity, it would have been easier for us to figure out how much to tip. But we did not not have a breakdown of how much everything cost. A detailed breakdown of costs would have been helpful overall in the planning process.

Local specialist: Oliver Fischer

The Mexican Eco company, Totonal, that Kim K...
Mexico | Jan 8 - Jan 17, 2020

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Catherine T.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2020
The Mexican Eco company, Totonal, that Kim Kim uses in México is excellent. As a solo female traveller, I was very pleased with the custom itinerary planned for me by Sibila. All of my requests were fulfilled, from urban tours and decent, clean hotels in CDMX to horseback riding, hikes and cooking lessons in beautiful Guanajuato. All drivers and guides were professional , knowledgable and arrived on time. I was very reassured by Melina from Totonal, a warm and and very diligent... Read more

The Mexican Eco company, Totonal, that Kim Kim uses in México is excellent. As a solo female traveller, I was very pleased with the custom itinerary planned for me by Sibila. All of my requests were fulfilled, from urban tours and decent, clean hotels in CDMX to horseback riding, hikes and cooking lessons in beautiful Guanajuato. All drivers and guides were professional , knowledgable and arrived on time. I was very reassured by Melina from Totonal, a warm and and very diligent person who checked in with me every step of the way both before my trip and during my days in Colonial Mexico. I heartily recommend this company as a reliable source for trip planning in Mexico.

Local specialist: Sibila Andrade
Sibila
Sibila Andrade
Local specialist in Playa del Carmen | Replied on Feb 10, 2020

Hello Catherine!
Thank you so much for this lovely review and letting us know you loved your trip to Mexico! We enjoyed creating your trip and being in touch with every supplier, being sure everything was running smooth and nice during your holidays. Melina was pleased of being in touch with you, checking you were having an amazing time ; )
We really appreciate your comments and we'll be delighted to arrange your next holidays in Mexico!

The Totonal team.

Both Axel (who handled planning before we lef...
Argentina | Dec 21 - Jan 8, 2020

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Rob A.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2020
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... Read more

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.

Local specialist: Axel Bulgheroni
Axel
Axel Bulgheroni
Local specialist in Buenos Aires | Replied on Jan 20, 2020

Hi Rob!
I hope this message finds you well!

Thank you so much for taking the time to send us this detailed feedback about your experience in our country! We are truly happy you had enjoyed this wonderful trip and everything has been fantastic, it is our main goal!

Rob, be sure to keep our contact details and let us know if we can help with any future trip to South America!

We keep in touch and warm regards from Buenos Aires!

No Hay Palabras! (There Are No Words!) (But I’ll Try Anyway)
Peru | Jan 2 - Jan 16, 2020

Matt
Matt M.
Myrtle Beach, SC | Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020
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... Read more

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!

Local specialist: James M

Great Family Vacation
Nepal | Dec 30 - Jan 11, 2020

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stuart c.
Birmingham, AL | Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020
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...
Read more

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.

Local specialist: Amanda Delecca

Loved our trip to Egypt
Egypt | Dec 22 - Jan 2, 2020

L
laura y.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020
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...
Read more

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!

Local specialist: Ibrahim Elaref

Fantastic And well organised trip
Vietnam | Jan 1 - Jan 16, 2020

I
Iris W.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020
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...
Read more

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.

Local specialist: Alex Nguyen
Alex
Alex Nguyen
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Jan 18, 2020

Hi Iris and Mark,
Thank you so much for your nice words and detailed feedbacks.
I was so happy to have a chance to listen to you and we chat with each other when you are in Hanoi. Hope that you will come back to Vietnam soon as many other destinations are waiting for you or our other countries like Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia :)
Big hug 🤗 to both of you :xxx
Alex

5* itinerary with KimKim
Vietnam | Dec 23 - Jan 13, 2020

A
Antonia D.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 18, 2020
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... Read more

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!

Local specialist: Thuy Nguyen
Thuy
Thuy Nguyen
Local specialist in Vietnam | Replied on Jan 20, 2020

Dear Antonia,
Thank you very much for taking the necessary time to write such precious and valuable feedback! It has been a great pleasure for me planning this amazing trip for your family and having you in my beautiful country.
I will be sharing your feedback amongst our team. Thanks a lot and please come visit us again one day :)!
Kindest regards,
Ms. Thuy

What a time!
Nepal | Dec 16 - Dec 16, 2019

Vladimir
Vladimir L.
Santa Monica, CA | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020

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.

Local specialist: Sangita Bajracharya
Sangita
Sangita Bajracharya
Local specialist in Kathmandu | Replied on Jan 19, 2020

Dear Vlad,

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. We are glad to hear that you and Giulia had a great travel experience with us. We look forward to seeing you back in our country Nepal someday :)

Best Regards
Sangita and HNB Team

Super easy way to plan a great trip
Mexico | Dec 21 - Jan 2, 2020

Richard
Richard G.
Mexico | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
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... Read more

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.

Local specialist: Jorge Reyna
Jorge
Jorge Reyna
Local specialist in Playa del Carmen | Replied on Jan 20, 2020

Hola Rick!!!

Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad we were able to give you a great trip and get it organized in a short time frame! It was great to have you in Mexico and I hope you will come back soon!!

Happy Travels,

Jorge & Totonal Team

My experience of Kim Kim service to Brazil
Brazil | Jan 13 - Jan 16, 2020

K
kevin M.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
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... Read more

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

Local specialist: Luciana Almeida
Luciana
Luciana Almeida
Local specialist in Rio de Janeiro | Replied on Jan 29, 2020

Kevin, you are the best!!
I'm so happy to read these words. It was a pleasure to organize your package and I can't wait to see you again in Brazil! Hopefully soon! =)
Count on us whenever you need!
Many thanks, Luciana (aka Lucinda ... hahaha)

Not just a typical travel agency
Costa Rica | Dec 30 - Jan 8, 2020

R
Rajesh A.
Milpitas, CA | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020
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... Read more

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.

Local specialist:

Excellent local consultant
Bolivia | Jan 10 - Jan 15, 2020

Karen
Karen H.
Alexandria, VA | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020

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.

Local specialist: Milenka Omireis
Milenka
Milenka Omireis
Local specialist in La Paz - Bolivia | Replied on Jan 21, 2020

Hola Karen,

I am so happy that you enjoyed your time with us and thank you for your review. I hope you enjoyed the amazing Salt Flats in this season with the sky reflected, and hope someday you could visit more of Bolivia.

Have a nice welcome home!

Jack was exceptional!
Myanmar | Jan 3 - Jan 14, 2020

Aseeb
Aseeb A.
the United Arab Emirates | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020

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!

Local specialist: Jack Burma
Jack
Jack Burma
Local specialist in Myanmar | Replied on Jan 17, 2020

Thank you Aseeb for this excellent feedback. Always happy to do a great job and this feedback is truly encouraging for us to serve our customers better.

Hoping to see you again in Myanmar.

All the best,
Jack

Very pleased
Morocco | Dec 28 - Jan 15, 2020

L
Laura J.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020

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.

Local specialist: Hakim ALIBOUCHE
Hakim
Hakim ALIBOUCHE
Local specialist in Agadir | Replied on Jan 28, 2020

Salam Laura,

I am very happy to hear you loved your stays in my country and your travel experience, so, thank you very much for your feedback. It's priceless to have the chance to read your story and my providers will also be super happy to receive this feedback (Your driver, the Riads ...etc) which encourage them all to keep their excellent service the same without missing that your feedback helps us and our future travellers too to learn and design their trips.

Till next time, I am wishing you all the best.
Hakim

My family is a very active bunch and we love ...
Costa Rica | Dec 29 - Jan 5, 2020

E
Eve B.
Country Club, FL | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2020

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.

Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 17, 2020

Hi Eve,

Thank you for your review of the trip and the service that you received from me before and during your vacation. It makes me happy that you have enjoyed your vacation, especially your last nights at Los Altos Preserve in Manuel Antonio, I know it is a gorgeous place to stay.

We hope to have the chance to welcome you and your family again in our country.

Best,
Randall

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
Customize your trip with the help of a local travel specialist

Kimkim has handpicked the world’s top local travel specialists so you will have peace of mind and an unforgettable trip that meets your exact requirements.

Authentic travel experiences

Kimkim’s local specialists ensure that you will have the best experience based on up-to-date local insights. On top of that, the vast majority of your money will go straight to support and grow local economies.

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Once you are happy with the trip, you can easily book via kimkim’s secure payment platform.

Local support during your trip

You can always reach your local specialist with a quick message or call in case you hit a snag during your trip, or simply want some great local recommendations.