Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 17,237 ratings
Read 17,237 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.

Amazing adventure in Egypt!
Egypt | Jan 15 - Jan 23, 2022

M
Melissa C.
Kensington, NY | Reviewed on Jan 24, 2022
Although 8 days is not nearly enough time to visit Egypt, I had the trip of a lifetime! All the organization, from pick ups, to tours, to getting my test to return to the US was top notch. I also think with the limited time I had, Ibrahim picked great highlights. I would absolutely recommend this experience to EVERYONE - whatever you think about Egypt, it is SO MUCH MORE! Traveling solo, I was a bit nervous, but both my guides Mohammad Shaarawy and Mohammed Kamal were knowledgable,... Read more

Although 8 days is not nearly enough time to visit Egypt, I had the trip of a lifetime! All the organization, from pick ups, to tours, to getting my test to return to the US was top notch. I also think with the limited time I had, Ibrahim picked great highlights. I would absolutely recommend this experience to EVERYONE - whatever you think about Egypt, it is SO MUCH MORE!

Traveling solo, I was a bit nervous, but both my guides Mohammad Shaarawy and Mohammed Kamal were knowledgable, professional and excellent. Mohammed Shaarawy excels at explaining complex Egyptian history and Mohammed Kamal is enthusiastic and energetic.

I'm so happy I did this tour and can't wait to come back.

Local specialist: Ibrahim Elaref

Great Experience
Costa Rica | Dec 25 - Dec 30, 2021

N
Nevin V.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Jan 24, 2022

We had a great experience touring Costa Rica. Chris and Randall was very organized and planned our trip really well. They were very responsive . I will definitely recommend working with Chris and Randall if you are planning a trip to Costa Rica.

Local specialist: Christopher Murillo
Christopher
Christopher Murillo
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 24, 2022

Thanks for the great review Nevin, it was a pleasure working with you.

Great trip to Belize and Guatemala. Really en...
Guatemala | Jan 5 - Jan 14, 2022

L
LaTasha J.
Lynn Haven, FL | Reviewed on Jan 23, 2022
Great trip to Belize and Guatemala. Really enjoyed most of the places we stayed at and visited. The Tikal jungle lodge was not my favorite but it was decent for a one night stay. Really enjoyed Casa Santo Domingo hotel, Ramon’s village, and sweet songs Hotel. Casa del mundo was also gray for the views and up keep of the facility. The room wasn’t the best because we did find a lot of bugs crawling around in the room that is hard to avoid with the cracks in the walls, windows, and doors and the... Read more

Great trip to Belize and Guatemala. Really enjoyed most of the places we stayed at and visited. The Tikal jungle lodge was not my favorite but it was decent for a one night stay. Really enjoyed Casa Santo Domingo hotel, Ramon’s village, and sweet songs Hotel. Casa del mundo was also gray for the views and up keep of the facility. The room wasn’t the best because we did find a lot of bugs crawling around in the room that is hard to avoid with the cracks in the walls, windows, and doors and the location was next to a public bathroom, shower, and walk way so it was not very peaceful. There was also construction outside of our window where they were building a platform as an extension on the window and we’re working on it during our stay. The food was great and the shuttles to the other villages were amazing. The drivers were great and on time. I loved the cooking option with cuscun but I think the extra translator was not needed. It was hard for us to budget with so many guides to be able to give tips as well that we will prob consider setting the sites without guides to save money. Also to have more time at the sites to explore rather than the guided tour. Nothing wrong with the guides because they were all amazing but it is harder to take in the sites with guides trying to get you through the tour and on to the next site so you only hear so much when they are talking especially when you want to explore more on your own. Overall the trip was amazing.

Hotel Reviews
Casa del Mundo
Lake Atitlán

When we stayed there we had a room attached to the public bathroom that was noisy in the am and pm from everyone using it. There was some minor construction going on outside our window that would go on in the am until the evening then stopped before bed time. Other than that there were a lot of bugs crawling around the room due to cracks in the wall, doors, windows, and ceiling but it want too bad.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo
Antigua
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Jungle Lodge Tikal
Peten
Tips for future travelers

The hotel is run on a generator that shuts out in the evening. The lights and power won’t work at a certain time at night. The shower had cold water also when the generator shut off.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, a Muy’Ono Resort
San Ignacio
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ramon's Village Resort
San Pedro

Absolutely enjoyed this location and the excursions available on this trip.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Views, excursions, everything
Staff
Very accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Eduardo Celada
Eduardo
Eduardo Celada
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on May 19, 2022

Hola LaTasha,
It was wonderful to meet you at the hotel Santo Domingo. I really appreciate your reviews and hope we can see you again in Guatemala to show you other destinations in the country that really worth the visit.
See you in Guatemala again!!
Eduardo

Thanks to Liz & KimKim for an AMAZING trip!
Peru | Nov 19 - Nov 26, 2021

Sachin
Sachin V.
Austin, TX | Reviewed on Jan 22, 2022
Thanks to Liz! for an AMAZING trip!
For this once in a life time trip, we entrusted Liz at KimKim.com to plan our trip. This is our second trip with KimKim and I have to say just amazing.! This trip was postponed 3 times due to the pandemic and Liz made it seamless. Planning our trip, she kept up with all the changes and challenges thrown at her even with flights were cancelled intra, she moved to private car transport. During the trip the arrangements seemed flawless to us. Even when...
Read more

Thanks to Liz! for an AMAZING trip!
For this once in a life time trip, we entrusted Liz at KimKim.com to plan our trip. This is our second trip with KimKim and I have to say just amazing.! This trip was postponed 3 times due to the pandemic and Liz made it seamless. Planning our trip, she kept up with all the changes and challenges thrown at her even with flights were cancelled intra, she moved to private car transport. During the trip the arrangements seemed flawless to us. Even when mother nature threw a curve ball causing train delays on a late evening, Liz had arranged for car transport to get us to our hotel. Our family loved the 7 day trip to this magical place called Peru, but with Liz's experience and guidance the trip was flawless, enjoyable without worry and perfectly managed. Thank you Liz and KimKim.com! Truly loved it.

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Mar 25, 2022

Hi Sachin,
It was very moving to read your review. Thanks for taking the time and leave us your comments, and thanks also for trusting us with this adventure, too. It was personally rewarding to read this, I am sharing this with all our team.
Hugs from all the Andean Travel Experience family!

Helpful and responsive every step of the way
Costa Rica | Dec 18 - Dec 26, 2021

G
Glen G.
Lafayette, CA | Reviewed on Jan 22, 2022

Yenyi was helpful and responsive every step of the way during trip planning, rescheduling twice because of Covid cancellations, and when we were finally in Costa Rica. When we had an issue in-country with one of the scheduled tours, Yenyi was on it immediately once contacted, helping to resolve things and get us on our way. My family loved every part of the trip. I highly recommend Yenyi and kimkim.

Local specialist: Yenyi Fu
Yenyi
Yenyi Fu
Local specialist in California | Replied on Jan 23, 2022

Thankyou Glen for the great review, and I am happy to have been able to help your family finally visit Costa Rica.

Hope you will travel with kimkim again in the future!

Best,
Yenyi

So glad we used this service!
Colombia | Dec 31 - Jan 9, 2022

Grace
Grace G.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jan 21, 2022
So glad we used this service! COVID had really taken a lot of the fun out of planning trips since there was so much uncertainty and so many restrictions to keep track of. Rafaja's team made it so easy. We knew very little about Colombia coming in to the trip planning and Rafaja was so patient as we honed in on what we wanted and made recommendations that we never could have come up with on our own. A great example was when we went to the Pacific coast and people kept asking us how we... Read more

So glad we used this service! COVID had really taken a lot of the fun out of planning trips since there was so much uncertainty and so many restrictions to keep track of. Rafaja's team made it so easy. We knew very little about Colombia coming in to the trip planning and Rafaja was so patient as we honed in on what we wanted and made recommendations that we never could have come up with on our own. A great example was when we went to the Pacific coast and people kept asking us how we found out about the place since they never see people from the United States there. In addition to all the planning assistance, everything was seamless as we were traveling as well and it was easy to continue communication with Rafaja's team. With all the ideas and resources Rafaja provided we could easily do many more trips to Colombia!

Local specialist: Rafaja Hanna Bertele
Rafaja Hanna
Rafaja Hanna Bertele
Local specialist in Cartagena | Replied on Jan 24, 2022

Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback and thank you for traveling to Colombia. Wishing you all the best!

Costa Rica jungle and beach trip-excellent
Costa Rica | Jan 6 - Jan 12, 2022

M
Maura G.
Norwalk, OH | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
Planning a trip to Costa Rica on my own was confusing and frustrating. There are so many amazing places and I didn't know where to start. I found kimkim online and gave it a shot. I was very pleased with the response I got. Diego was attentive and listened to my requests. It was easy, I told him what I wanted to do and he made it happen. I didn't need to manage anything and I didn't have to at all. He booked transportation, lodging, and excursions for me. All of the planning was flawless. We... Read more

Planning a trip to Costa Rica on my own was confusing and frustrating. There are so many amazing places and I didn't know where to start. I found kimkim online and gave it a shot. I was very pleased with the response I got. Diego was attentive and listened to my requests. It was easy, I told him what I wanted to do and he made it happen. I didn't need to manage anything and I didn't have to at all. He booked transportation, lodging, and excursions for me. All of the planning was flawless. We were picked up at the airport on time and had a pleasant ride to the first resort, the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. It was a beautiful resort with delicious food. All of the excursions were done right at the activity center on the property. Johnny took us on a hike in the national park where we saw monkeys and geothermic anomalies. The zip lining was exciting and well organized. The guides made it so enjoyable. They were fun and personable. Horse back riding and tubing was so fun! Canyoning is something I never thought I'd do. So glad Diego booked it.
We were transported to Tamarindo beach in an air conditioned van. The drivers were very cautious and we felt very safe. We stayed at the Dira resort. The pools and beach are beautiful. Diego booked us a catamaran sunset cruise with Marlin Del Rey company. The guide, David, was engaging and the cruise was 5 hours long. It was excellent.
I was impressed with kimkim and Diego. I have recommended their services to others and I will use them again.

Hotel Review
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
Liberia

This is jungle resort at the base of the national park that sits on over 3,000 acres. It's a working rach and farm. It also hosts the adventure center on the grounds, which is super convenient. The food is delicious. The only downside is that every restaurant has the same exact menu for lunch and dinner. We did all of the excursions offered and we hiked to all the waterfalls. We loved our trip! The best adventure for us was tubing. The staff is friendly, the rooms are nice and clean, the views are beautiful. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Canyoning at Victoria Waterfall
Canyoning at Victoria Waterfall
Rincón de la Vieja

Very unique experience. I would combine this adventure with something else that day.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Diego Rivera
Diego
Diego Rivera
Local specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Thank you very much for your feedback Maura. I'm very happy to know you had a great time in Costa Rica, it was a great pleasure helping you with your vacation. I hope you can come soon and visit more destinations. PURA VIDA :-)

Charlotte did an amazing job working with our...
Costa Rica | Jan 13 - Jan 17, 2022

F
Felicia M.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
Charlotte did an amazing job working with our group to plan a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. We were able to do all the adventures we planned without missing a beat. She took the guess work out of everything and having a personal driver was the best. Andres was an excellent driver and companion on our trip. Will definitely be using KimKim in the future for other vacations. Read more

Charlotte did an amazing job working with our group to plan a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. We were able to do all the adventures we planned without missing a beat. She took the guess work out of everything and having a personal driver was the best. Andres was an excellent driver and companion on our trip.

Will definitely be using KimKim in the future for other vacations.

Hotel Review
Studio Hotel
San José

The hotel was nice and about 20 mins from the airport. The breakfast was good and the hotel is very close to many places to eat that are within walking distance.

Tips for future travelers

Clean and quite hotel. I enjoyed the local artwork that was displayed throughout the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
The local artwork.
Location
20 mins from the airport.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Arenal ATV Adventure
Arenal ATV Adventure
Arenal/La Fortuna

Really enjoyed the trail and the guides.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Definitely made the atv trail fun.
Transport
Local specialist: Charlotte Törnqvist
Charlotte
Charlotte Törnqvist
Local specialist in Turrialba, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Hello Felicia,
I am glad to hear you enjoyed your trip so much! It was a pleasure working with you and your group of friends.
Pura vida!
Charlotte

Great trip organized well
Spain | Dec 24 - Jan 1, 2022

R
Ravi R.
Redwood City, CA | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022

Due to Covid, this trip was booked last minute due to several iterations. Karin made it possible and was even available during the trip in spite of a personal situation. She is the best to work with.

Local specialist: Karin Eckhard
Karin
Karin Eckhard
Local specialist in Madrid, Spain and USA | Replied on Jan 21, 2022

Ravi, thank you so much for this review. I am so pleased that you were finally able to make the trip despite having reservations about traveling because of the Covid situation in addition to having flight cancelations. I look forward to helping you plan another trip. :-)

Mother-Daughter memories in Cartagena
Colombia | Jun 12 - Jun 18, 2021

Jamie
Jamie L.
Kentwood, MI | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
My 16 year old daughter & I took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia this past summer. I was a little nervous about a trip like this with just us , but the help planning & the tips that I was given from Rafaja made the trip amazing. Rafaja helped us arrange a walking tour of the city with our amazing guide Will, a trip to Rosario Islands, a mother-daughter photography session in our favorite part of town(Getsemani) and a fishing trip that we couldn't go on due to my food sickness. Our favorite... Read more

My 16 year old daughter & I took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia this past summer. I was a little nervous about a trip like this with just us , but the help planning & the tips that I was given from Rafaja made the trip amazing.

Rafaja helped us arrange a walking tour of the city with our amazing guide Will, a trip to Rosario Islands, a mother-daughter photography session in our favorite part of town(Getsemani) and a fishing trip that we couldn't go on due to my food sickness. Our favorite part was the walking tour as Will was knowledgeable & passionate about his city, and he was also friendly & funny. I highly recommend the photographer Rafael that was arranged-he captured some fabulous images.

Because our experience was so good, I'm currently in the process of arranging my second Mother-Daughter trip with KimKim-as much as I'd love to visit Colombia again, we are heading to Nicaragua this time.

Local specialist: Rafaja Hanna Bertele
Rafaja Hanna
Rafaja Hanna Bertele
Local specialist in Cartagena | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Jamie, thank you so much for this review :) Wishing you all the best!

Amazing Adventures Exploring Mainland Ecuador and Galapagos!
Ecuador | Dec 27 - Jan 7, 2022

Lindsey
Lindsey F.
Sacramento, CA | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
Thank you to Daniel and Jacky for helping us plan an amazing trip to mainland Ecuador and to Galapagos. They helped make travel as easy as possible during these uncertain times! They were so accessible and even met us a few times in Quito which was awesome. Dario was our guide for the majority of the time and he was so knowledgeable and fun to be around! We started off with a city tour of Quito, made it to Cotopaxi, Quilotoa Crater, had an adeventure filled couple of days in Banos, checked... Read more

Thank you to Daniel and Jacky for helping us plan an amazing trip to mainland Ecuador and to Galapagos. They helped make travel as easy as possible during these uncertain times! They were so accessible and even met us a few times in Quito which was awesome. Dario was our guide for the majority of the time and he was so knowledgeable and fun to be around! We started off with a city tour of Quito, made it to Cotopaxi, Quilotoa Crater, had an adeventure filled couple of days in Banos, checked out the main market two hours outside of Quito and then spent several days exploring some islands of Galapagos! All tours were on time and all covid tests were negative which made for a fantastic trip! Thanks again for a memorable trip!

Local specialist: Daniel Larrea
Daniel
Daniel Larrea
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Jan 21, 2022

Hola Lindsey!!
Thank you so much for such kind words! We were really happy to work with you three to give you an unforgettable experience. The fact that we were able to jump in a few times to be part of your trip was even more awesome! I hope Holly and Emilie had an amazing time too!
I wish you three the best, hoping that you truly forged some everlasting memories, and if you ever wish to return count on us :)
Safe journeys in the future my friend, Best vibes from the middle of the world!
- Daniel, Jacky, and Dario

Add Costa Rica to your bucket list!
Costa Rica | Dec 29 - Jan 15, 2022

K
Kelsey K.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
My husband and I had the privilege of spending three weeks in Costa Rica and Alberto and the Kim Kim team made this trip a complete dream come true! I was a bit nervous about all the excursions and accommodations and travel plans as we stayed at 6 different spots and rented a car in a country we don't speak the language on (and Murphy's law is something is bound to happen) but NO! Everything was organized to perfection and by the most friendly people ever! We did not have a single issue and... Read more

My husband and I had the privilege of spending three weeks in Costa Rica and Alberto and the Kim Kim team made this trip a complete dream come true! I was a bit nervous about all the excursions and accommodations and travel plans as we stayed at 6 different spots and rented a car in a country we don't speak the language on (and Murphy's law is something is bound to happen) but NO! Everything was organized to perfection and by the most friendly people ever! We did not have a single issue and nothing was even 5 minutes behind schedule - this vacation truly operated flawlessly! When I did have questions, Alberto responded in a matter of minutes (seconds even sometimes, I am not kidding!!!) Highly recommend letting Alberto plan your trip to Costa Rica as we had a once in a lifetime experience and stayed at some of the nicest resorts I have ever been at.

Our favorites.....
1. The Caribbean side! You must visit this part of the country - Puerto Viejo & Limon region were spectacular!
2. Monteverde El Establo Resort - truly a magical place and you MUST go horseback riding at Equus Farms : https://www.monteverdetourscr.com/trip/monteverde-equus-horseback-riding-tour/
3. Diria Tamarindo Resort - we will be back here for sure!
4. Tortugero Evergreen Lodge - the windows are screens, not glass and you are living in a jungle sound machine! SOOO many animals here!

Tips for travelers....
1. Drink bottle water only! We both got sick
2. Rent a car - the roads were really easy to drive and the car had GPS
3. Fly in and out of different airports so you can see more of the country... next time we are going to fly into Limon airport and then fly out of Liberia so we can spend more time on the beach as San Jose is not great and you should try to spend as little time there as possible to maximize the fun.
4. You can book much cheaper excursions with the hotels you are staying at. You would save a lot of money doing it this way and they have more options to choose from and you can decide day of what you want to do instead of being locked into a schedule.

Seriously, Alberto was amazing and so communicative from start to finish! GO TO COSTA RICA, you won't regret it!

Pura Vida!

Local specialist: Alberto Molina
Alberto
Alberto Molina
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Hi Kelsey
I am glad that you have enjoyed Costa Rica, it was my pleasure to helped you planing your trip and you with all you need in Costa Rica. Pura vida.
Alberto

Pura Vida with GWA
Costa Rica | Dec 6 - Dec 16, 2021

Nina
Nina M.
Bremerton, WA | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2022
Our trip to Costa Rica was one of the best trips I've ever been on, and it's all thanks to the wonderful people at GWA. This is the first time we've let a tour company plan basically our entire trip and we couldn't have been more pleased with the results!
Our contact was Alberto who was knowledgeable, polite, friendly and very accommodating of all our tweaks and changes. It really felt like the success of our trip was important to both Alberto and the rest of the staff at GWA. Alberto worked...
Read more

Our trip to Costa Rica was one of the best trips I've ever been on, and it's all thanks to the wonderful people at GWA. This is the first time we've let a tour company plan basically our entire trip and we couldn't have been more pleased with the results!
Our contact was Alberto who was knowledgeable, polite, friendly and very accommodating of all our tweaks and changes. It really felt like the success of our trip was important to both Alberto and the rest of the staff at GWA. Alberto worked with us to plan all sorts of activities/tours as well as picked all but one hotel with our approval.

Once we arrived we were met by Felipe, our main driver for the trip and a clean and private van transport to our San Jose hotel. When we arrived at the hotel Felipe gave us a lovely welcome bag with thoughtful goodies inside. The bag itself is designed by women at a women's shelter for domestic violence which we thought was so cool of them to support. They also included a nicely printed itinerary, a commemorative plaque/certificate of our visit, and two metal water bottles with their logo! Felipe went through our itinerary with us and patiently answered all of our questions.

The next day Felipe picked us up after breakfast and took us to our next location in La Fortuna, an approximately 3 hour drive from our first hotel in San Jose. Felipe shared his knowledge with us along the way and he was very kind and helpful when I revealed that I suffer from motion sickness. He recommended his favorite restaurant in the area Don Rufino which we took his advice on later, it was excellent! The hotel was fairly rustic with little cabins set up on a lovely garden trail. The wi-fi did not extend to our room and there was only soap in the shower but the grounds were very nicely maintained and the staff were so friendly and warm. Alex from reception did not speak English and with our limited Spanish it was difficult to communicate with him but he went out of his way to point out sloths in a nearby tree despite how frustrating it must have been that we did not understand. Eventually we figured it out and were able to spot sloths twice with Alex's help right there outside the reception! I also saw a toucan and many other beautiful birds on the property.
It was very quiet and peaceful and one morning we had breakfast and it was just us and Alex and the cook and a lovely woman who took our breakfast order the night before and I think may also have been the one who cleans the rooms. Jon played their old organ for them and we all enjoyed the music together.

That first night a driver named Otto from Desafio Adventure Company took us to the Paradise Hot Springs which was way less rugged than what we were expecting. We had drinks at the hot springs bar and lounged until dinner. There were lockers and showers on site and the springs themselves are located within a hotel. On the way back we told Otto about our need for shampoo/conditioner and Otto graciously accompanied us to a local supermarket where we were able to procure what we needed.

The next day we went on another tour with Desafio Adventure company with our wonderful guide Carlos and driver Alex. First we visited the Arenal Hanging Bridges which was pretty amazing and so beautiful! With Carlos's help we were able to see so many wonderful things that we would have missed alone, including Red-eyed tree frogs, White-nose Coatis, Howler Monkeys, Anoles, and even a Purple-Crowned Fairy! He was very knowledgeable about the many plants and trees that we encountered as well, and even their uses by indigenous societies. From the hanging forest we went to La Fortuna waterfall and went swimming near the falls in beautiful water with small fish. The walk back up the steps was pretty brutal, everyone told us a different number of steps, was it 600 or 800? Either way with frequent pauses and shaky calves we eventually made it to the top!
We then went to Desafio's base of operations and had a delicious buffet style lunch and coffee and rested for a bit. The final expedition of the day was to Arenal volcano, Carlos unfortunately was not feeling the best so we hiked up by ourselves to allow him a chance to rest. The view from the top was beautiful and it rained a bit which was very refreshing. We even found some colones up there! When we got back to the rest shop Carlos brought out some fresh fruit they got for us, they'd even gone out of their way to get a papaya for me because I wanted to see if it was way better in Costa Rica and it is! David expertly prepared the fruit for us and we ate to our heart's content. We then stopped by a natural hot springs by the road side and then stopped to take photos of a sloth that Carlos had spotted earlier since we hadn't managed to get a good photo the day before. I would recommend all of these tours and Desafio was great, GWA picks great tours!

Our next hotel was in Rincon de Vieja at Rinconcito Lodge. On the drive there Felipe taught us about Arenal Lake and took us to a delicious restaurant called the Macadamia Cafe. We thought we would see Felipe again but sadly this was the last day we saw him. Once we arrived at the hotel we were given a welcome drink of tasty watermelon juice. The bungalows at this hotel are lovely, we had sliding glass doors out to a balcony with two beautiful wooden rocking chairs and a nice view. The trek to our room was a bit much, especially with bags but thankfully we had Felipe to help us on the way up. They have a lovely pool which never had anyone else in it, horses and a trail on site and thankfully a restaurant because we were without transportation. I think having a car would have been useful here, as everything seemed to be at least 30 minutes by car and when we attempted to walk to Las Pailas we quickly realized it would take 3-4 hours! It's a nice location with many birds and butterflies and we would definitely stay again if we had available transportation. We mostly relaxed during this time except for the last day where there was some confusion on our part and we scheduled a hike during our pickup time at the hotel. We were coming back from a 12km trek to La Cangreja Waterfall when we realized our mistake. It's a really lovely waterfall with hot spring water but it took me days to recover from all the sun exposure! When we got back to the lodge, David was there patiently waiting. We felt terrible about the misunderstanding but David was very kind about the whole thing.
After our rough start our drive with David quickly became enjoyable, he had many interesting stories and . We stopped in Liberia I think to get some juice/gingerale for my car sickness which I really appreciated. We chatted all the way to the next hotel, Nambu Bungalows at Samara. This hotel is by far the fanciest that we stayed at, and we somehow got upgraded to a Master suite. This means you are on the top floor with a hot tub and there are no elevators which thankfully wasn't an issue for us. We loved sitting in the hot tub watching the sun set!
We had one delicious but expensive dinner at the hotel, the barkeeper was excellent and you can have drinks and coffee by the picturesque pool. The second day at Nambu we were supposed to go on a kayaking expedition but unfortunately I was still feeling unwell so we had to cancel. We spent the day relaxing at the beach and in the room. The restaurants in the area are not that plentiful but we really enjoyed the food at Hula Jungla which was maybe 2 minutes walk from the hotel. We tried two of the other local restaurants but Hula Jungla is the one we kept returning to.
We also did horseback riding in Samara with Rene from Paraisos de Caballos. The horses were brought right to the hotel and it was just us and Rene! We rode by the beach and on a lovely loop through the forest and up a hill with a gorgeous view of the mountains and shoreline. We saw Howler monkeys again and white-faced monkeys and were able to get quite close to the Howlers! We also saw many beautiful birds and Blue Morphos butterflies before taking photos near the beach of a stunning sunset. Rene was very knowledgeable just like all our guides and we enjoyed talking with him. I would definitely recommend Rene and all our other wonderful tour guides/drivers!

Our last day our driver had car trouble and we were given a generous credit to spend on drinks/foods while we waited pool side. They managed to find a different driver and Roberto soon showed up to take us back to San Jose. This was another 3 hour drive and Roberto was yet another pleasant conversationalist, he even stopped for us at a big mall so we could grab a bite to eat before returning to our hotel, as we were concerned nothing nearby would still be open. We walked all over the food court and Roberto was so patient with us. After we arrived at the hotel at almost 9pm our trip was basically finished. We got massages the next day and ate twice at Moose, which Felipe had recommended on our first day and got Covid tests at the mall located conveniently nearby. The following day we were picked up and taken to the San Jose Airport. We were sad to leave this beautiful country and our friends at GWA. Everything was so wonderful, all the people and places and activities, it really exceeded all of my expectations. I would book again with GWA with full confidence, they are professional, responsive, kind and all around a wonderful company to work with. You can't go wrong booking your trip to Costa Rica through them! Thank you to the entire GWA team for making our trip so memorable and fantastic!

Hotel Review
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto
San José

Convenient hotel location with plenty of amenities. Room was kind of loud (thin walls?) But the location was nice for proximity to stores/restaurants/etc

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike
Arenal/La Fortuna

First we visited the Arenal Hanging Bridges which was pretty amazing and so beautiful! With Carlos's help we were able to see so many wonderful things that we would have missed alone, including Red-eyed tree frogs, White-nose Coatis, Howler Monkeys, Anoles, and even a Purple-Crowned Fairy! He was very knowledgeable about the many plants and trees that we encountered as well, and even their uses by indigenous societies. From the hanging forest we went to La Fortuna waterfall and went swimming near the falls in beautiful water with small fish. The walk back up the steps was pretty brutal, everyone told us a different number of steps, was it 600 or 800? Either way with frequent pauses and shaky calves we eventually made it to the top! We then went to Desafio's base of operations and had a delicious buffet style lunch and coffee and rested for a bit. The final expedition of the day was to Arenal volcano, Carlos unfortunately was not feeling the best so we hiked up by ourselves to allow him a chance to rest. The view from the top was beautiful and it rained a bit which was very refreshing. We even found some colones up there! When we got back to the rest shop Carlos brought out some fresh fruit they got for us, they'd even gone out of their way to get a papaya for me because I wanted to see if it was way better in Costa Rica and it is! David expertly prepared the fruit for us and we ate to our heart's content. We then stopped by a natural hot springs by the road side and then stopped to take photos of a sloth that Carlos had spotted earlier since we hadn't managed to get a good photo the day before. I would recommend all of these tours and Desafio was great, GWA picks great tours!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Alberto Molina
Alberto
Alberto Molina
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Hi Nina
Thanks a lot for your great review, is very nice to read that you have a great trip that you are very happy with our services and most important that you really enjoyed Costa Rica.
Pura vida
Alberto

Winter in Crete - HIGHLEY recommended!
Greece | Dec 26 - Jan 1, 2022

A
Alan H.
Rosemount, MN | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2022
Our trip, planned with Chris's help, was fantastic from start to finish! We asked Chris to help us plan a low key adventure on Crete. From helping us make air arrangements, to private transfers to and from our hotels, everything went smoothly. The hotels (GDM Megaron in Hiraklio and Veneto in Rethymno) were both amazing. The Megaron was close to everything we wanted to do and the view of the seaside was beautiful. The Herakleion Archaeolgical Museum and Knossos were our first big day events... Read more

Our trip, planned with Chris's help, was fantastic from start to finish! We asked Chris to help us plan a low key adventure on Crete. From helping us make air arrangements, to private transfers to and from our hotels, everything went smoothly. The hotels (GDM Megaron in Hiraklio and Veneto in Rethymno) were both amazing. The Megaron was close to everything we wanted to do and the view of the seaside was beautiful. The Herakleion Archaeolgical Museum and Knossos were our first big day events and really started our Cretan adventure off wonderfully. Instead of actual guides, we chose self-guided audio tours for both and were very satisfied. We were able to go at our own pace without need of meeting up with people at specific times. Walking through the fortress to just exploring the streets and shops in Rethymno made for perfect days.
Rethymno and Chania were our main locations of adventure. The staff at the Veneto were very helpful and everything felt so safe in these uncertain pandemic times. Restaurants that are musts include Oinoa in Chania; Dounia Taverena in Keramion, which was quite an adventure to find, but well worth the beautiful drive in the countryside on narrow winding roads; and, Hasika in Rethymno for wonderful local fine dining! Looking forward to our next Kimkim guided trip!

Local specialist: Chris Leontopoulos

Amazing Trip using KimKim
Patagonia | Dec 18 - Jan 8, 2022

P
Priscila W.
East Brunswick, NJ | Reviewed on Jan 17, 2022
We had a great experience using KimKim. They helped us create the perfect itinerary. This was our first time using any sort of agency to plan a trip and we would definitely use them again. Highly recommend. Especially Erin and Laura - they were the best! Read more

We had a great experience using KimKim. They helped us create the perfect itinerary. This was our first time using any sort of agency to plan a trip and we would definitely use them again. Highly recommend. Especially Erin and Laura - they were the best!

Hotel Review
Hotel Lunajuim
El Chalten

We loved our stay at Lunajuim! The staff was super friendly and helpful! We would absolutely stay here again if we ever return to El Chalten. Highly recommend

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Kayak Lago del Desierto
Kayak Lago del Desierto
El Chaltén
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Erin Wiley
Erin
Erin Wiley
Local specialist in Puerto Natales & Pucon, Chile | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Thank you Priscila!! It was a great experience planning a trip with you and Paul, thank you for all of the trust in us to make this happen at the last hour.

Wonderful Costa Rica vacation!
Costa Rica | Jan 7 - Jan 12, 2022

Anita
Anita G.
Miami Beach, FL | Reviewed on Jan 16, 2022
Hi Adriana thank you for arranging what was a wonderful vacation in Costa Rica. The hotels were great. Good facilities, helpful staff, good locations. We were amazed by our hotel in Monteverde the view from our room was beyond Amazing!! The tour guides were friendly and knowledgable and the tours ran to time. Shuttles were also good. You did a great job arranging this trip for us and we would definitely recommend you and Kim Kim. Read more

Hi Adriana thank you for arranging what was a wonderful vacation in Costa Rica. The hotels were great. Good facilities, helpful staff, good locations. We were amazed by our hotel in Monteverde the view from our room was beyond Amazing!! The tour guides were friendly and knowledgable and the tours ran to time. Shuttles were also good. You did a great job arranging this trip for us and we would definitely recommend you and Kim Kim.

Hotel Review
Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel
San José

Friendly and helpful reception. Good rooms

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

Great tour guide very knowledgeable we learnt a lot. Great group and tour. Definitely worthwhile.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
knowledge of guide; drive was on time and friendly
Transport
Local specialist: Adriana Prado
Adriana
Adriana Prado
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 21, 2022

Hello Anita,

Thank you for your nice comments about your trip to Costa Rica!

I am very happy to know that you have had a good time in our country and that all the services fulfilled your expectations. I will be happy to organize a new adventure for you if you decide to visit us in the future! :)
Sunny regards,
Adriana

Family Adventure in Colombia
Colombia | Dec 26 - Jan 5, 2022

N
Nicole G.
Wilmington, NC | Reviewed on Jan 16, 2022
Thank you Margoth, Felipe, Martin, Juan Carlos, Jaruen, Jose, Maria, and drivers for a fantastic trip to Colombia. Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us. Margoth put together a wonderful trip fitting in everything I asked for at a busy time of year. Our trip included Cartagena, Santa Marta, Rosario Islands, Tayrona, Minca, Medellin, Guatape, Rio Claro, Tabio, and Bogota. The guides were very passionate about their cities and taught so much about the places and culture. They... Read more

Thank you Margoth, Felipe, Martin, Juan Carlos, Jaruen, Jose, Maria, and drivers for a fantastic trip to Colombia. Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us. Margoth put together a wonderful trip fitting in everything I asked for at a busy time of year. Our trip included Cartagena, Santa Marta, Rosario Islands, Tayrona, Minca, Medellin, Guatape, Rio Claro, Tabio, and Bogota. The guides were very passionate about their cities and taught so much about the places and culture. They were also very patient with our kids (8 and 12). Thank you for the gifts, help with a sick child, dinner reservations (yum), and transfers. Our trip exceeded our expectations and we definitely plan to return. Margoth and Felipe kept in touch and made sure everything went smoothly.

Hotel Review
Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias
Cartagena de Indias

Location was great. Breakfast delicious. Great vibe with rooftop pool and bar. The people managing the front desk of the hotel were outstanding.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Front desk especially, but everyone was great
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Suggested Sunset Drinks at Café del Mar
Suggested Sunset Drinks at Café del Mar
Cartagena

Great location with spectacular sunset views and good drinks.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Margoth Rico
Margoth
Margoth Rico
Local specialist in Bogota | Replied on Jan 17, 2022

Hi Nicole, thank you so much for your review and Wow… fantastic pictures! Thank you for sharing your experience and pictures with us! I will pass on your comments with Felipe, Martin, Juan Carlos, Jaruen, Jose, Maria, and drivers, and thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your family trip to Colombia :)

Great Experience with Charlotte and Kimkim for Costa Rica Road trip!
Costa Rica | Dec 24 - Jan 3, 2022

Y
Yogi C.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jan 15, 2022
This is our first trip with KimKim and Charlotte. We could not have asked for anything better. Charlotte collaborated with us to customize the entire trip per our requirements and budget and took care of all planning, bookings, events, guides including vaccine testing during a peak travel season. Charlotte is very knowledgeable about Costa Rica and helped us explore, enjoy Costa Rica at our pace and liking, and managed to organize, fulfill some unique requirements for our family. she is super... Read more

This is our first trip with KimKim and Charlotte. We could not have asked for anything better. Charlotte collaborated with us to customize the entire trip per our requirements and budget and took care of all planning, bookings, events, guides including vaccine testing during a peak travel season. Charlotte is very knowledgeable about Costa Rica and helped us explore, enjoy Costa Rica at our pace and liking, and managed to organize, fulfill some unique requirements for our family. she is super nice and easy to work with was an only text away and was super flexible to add something along the way if needed.

We are very pleased with KimKim as a platform, Charlotte, and the team as local experts. They took all the stress/guesswork out of the way and saved us time and risk. Could not have asked for anything better. I think a KimKim APP would be even better but not a big deal.

All our future travel/vacation will be with Kimkim and their team of local experts!

Local specialist: Charlotte Törnqvist
Charlotte
Charlotte Törnqvist
Local specialist in Turrialba, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 19, 2022

Dear Yogi,
Thank you so much for you kind words. I really enjoyed working with you, and to make this trip happen! Thanks for stopping by at our offices to say hello in person, and we hope to see you soon again here in Costa Rica.
Charlotte

A wonderful perfectly planned 8 days in Costa Rica!
Costa Rica | Jan 4 - Jan 11, 2022

J
Jay J.
Hoffman Estates, IL | Reviewed on Jan 15, 2022
What a wonderful 8 days in Costa Rica for our family of 4 (including 2 teenage girls)! Because of the impeccable planning and support provided by Adriana, the actual trip turned out to be so much better even as compared to what we had anticipated. Planning the trip took multiple back & forths with Adriana over a few weeks - given our specific interests, constraints as well as the changing COVID situation. But Adriana was always patient, resourceful and prompt in getting all the questions... Read more

What a wonderful 8 days in Costa Rica for our family of 4 (including 2 teenage girls)! Because of the impeccable planning and support provided by Adriana, the actual trip turned out to be so much better even as compared to what we had anticipated.

Planning the trip took multiple back & forths with Adriana over a few weeks - given our specific interests, constraints as well as the changing COVID situation. But Adriana was always patient, resourceful and prompt in getting all the questions answered to our satisfaction. The trip plan that she arrived at, after all the iterations, based on our feedback was just perfect. Even after arriving at a perfect plan, we needed to move the dates by a couple of days, requiring Adriana to redo some of the planning and booking - but that did not deter her! A few timing changes during the trip were also accomodated by the Amazilla team. Wilson, Mr. Gonzalez and other drivers did an excellent job shuttling us between destinations and providing vivid commentary. Our guides Franklin (at Arenal), Jason/Jon Carlos (White Water Rafting), Allen (Manuel Antonio) were all very knowledgable and made the activities so much more interesting!

This was a memorable 8-days for all 4 of us. CR's beauty is alluring and captivating. And the local expertise and diligence provided by Adriana and the rest of the crew made it very seamless and delightful. Thanks everyone! Pura Vida!

Hotel Review
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Monteverde

Stayed here for 2 nights - Great Views specially if you drive up the property - Vegetarian food options were somewhat limited. But still manageable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III
Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III
Arenal/La Fortuna

Level 2/3 White Water Rafting - This was on our bucket list. Had a small incident (since I do not know swimming and started panicking when the raft capsized and I fell in the river). But Jason (our guide) handled it professionally and strongly! Truly amazed

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

Franklin (as our guide) was very knowledegable - Making the hike a very interesting and learning experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde

Ziplining over the Cloud Forests was amazing! Some climbing and fair amount of walking required

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde

Ziplining over the Cloud Forests was amazing! Some climbing and fair amount of walking required

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Adriana Prado
Adriana
Adriana Prado
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Feb 07, 2022

Hello Jay,
Thank you very much for your nice comments and your time to share with us your experience in Costa Rica. I am very happy that you enjoyed the services that we organized for you, it was a pleasure for me to help you coordinate your trip and make the necessary changes so that your trip meets your expectations. I will be glad to assist you in the future if you decide to visit us again and organize a new adventure for you in this little paradise. :)

Sunny Regards & Pura Vida!
Adriana

Great Experience working with KimKim and Randall
Costa Rica | Dec 26 - Jan 3, 2022

Ari
Ari Z.
Shaw, DC | Reviewed on Jan 14, 2022
We booked a trip to Costa Rica through KimKim using Randall. He was amazing, and the process of setting up and managing the trip was great. We made several changes to our group and our itinerary throughout the process - including while we were in Costa Rica - and Randall handled everything professionally and quickly. We did a river nature tour on Cano Negro, which was amazing - although it helped that we were the only people on the tour. Our driver for the day, Daouren, was also a tour... Read more

We booked a trip to Costa Rica through KimKim using Randall. He was amazing, and the process of setting up and managing the trip was great. We made several changes to our group and our itinerary throughout the process - including while we were in Costa Rica - and Randall handled everything professionally and quickly.

We did a river nature tour on Cano Negro, which was amazing - although it helped that we were the only people on the tour. Our driver for the day, Daouren, was also a tour guide and very knowledgeable.

We also loved our hanging bridges walk in Fortuna, our night jungle walk in Manuel Antonio and surfing lessons with MASS in Manuel Antonio.

On the downside, we didn't have a great time in the actual Manuel Antonio park. We were there on New Year's Eve day and it was packed. We saw very little wildlife and when we did it was often waiting with a group of 20 or 30 people to look through a spotting scope.

Our first hotel - Montana Del Fuego in Fortuna - was okay, except that our rooms were right off of the main road. It was very noisy and felt more like being in New York City than in Costa Rica.

All in all we'd recommend working with Randall if you are trying to book a trip to Costa Rica and need some help!

Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 14, 2022

Dear Ari,

First of all, I want to appreciate your review about your family trip to my country. I am glad that you have enjoyed your trip which was organized with so much time in advance.

I certainly appreciate your feedback about Montaña de Fuego and your experience during the hiking tour to Manuel Antonio National Park, we will make sure to take these comments seriously into consideration on the planning for future trips.

I wish you and all your family, a successful 2022 and we hope to have the chance to welcome you again in the future.

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.

Secure & easy booking

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.