Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was great from start to finish. Highly recommend if you are planning a trip to Luxor! Sherif was very communicative and professional and our guide, Gaby, was extremely knowledgeable.

Fantastic service from start to finish, perfectly organized and affordably priced. 10/10 recommend again for anyone looking to visit Cairo.

The goal of our honeymoon was to spend 3 weeks in Italy, starting in Florence and ending on the Amalfi Coast. But we needed help to organize a trip that would ensure we could truly experience Italy, spend quality time in each location, have smooth transitions from place to place, and incorporate down time along with the activities. We called it the “Slow Travel Honeymoon in Italy” and from the first day we were in contact to the final day of our amazing trip, Kimkim did a spectacular job for us balancing the activities with the leisurely pace we desired.
The specific criteria, besides the start and end locations mentioned above, were 1) we preferred boutique hotels; 2) we wanted to experience the food, the culture, the wine (all of which are obvious for Italy, but still worth mentioning); 3) we wanted some tours scheduled, but mostly preferred to be self-guided with recommendations; and 4) we wanted to be worry-free with regard to transportation between venues.

Upon arrival, we were connected to the local Kimkim team via WhatsApp – this is an incredibly reassuring and comforting aspect of Kimkim. Whenever we had any sort of question or minor glitch (which were few and not worth mentioning because they did not impact our enjoyment at all) the Kimkim team was there to answer questions, clarify any planning, and resolve issues. We can’t say enough good things about their service during the trip. Kimkim provided a detailed itinerary with great information about all the places we were to visit, plus all the transfers they arranged (some via train, some private cars) with tickets, phone numbers/names of drivers, hotel addresses, etc. The itinerary was in a PDF, which we printed out and then had bound together like a booklet.

Our overall itinerary included: Florence, Cinque Terre, Sienna, Amalfi Coast, Naples

Florence – We landed in Rome and were met at the airport by our driver (Andrea), who drove the 3 hours to Florence – he was pleasant and informative throughout. Upon arrival, we spent a few days in the city before our wedding. Kimkim booked us in the Hotel Continentale, which is on the River Arno next to Ponte Vecchio and a perfect fit. In addition to the great location and extremely attentive service staff, the room was large and had a really nice romantic feel to it. Breakfast is included each day at an outdoor café a couple doors down, where you can people-watch along the Arno and really soak in that part of Florence. In addition, their spa services were outstanding – we both took advantage of several of their spa treatments, including massages. The roof deck is a great place to get a late afternoon drink, and the views of the Arno and Piazza del Signoria are awesome. After the wedding, which was in the hills of northern Florence, we were back on our Kimkim itinerary – back into the city for a couple nights to stay at the Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo, which as you might imagine is right next to the hustle and bustle of the Piazza del Duomo. This 4-Star hotel was much more of an elegant property – whereas Continentale is more modern, this hotel is in a historical structure. Its location was wonderful, the staff terrific, and included was breakfast top notch, but the room was a bit of a disappointment in comparison to Continentale – i.e. although it was perfectly fine, the room did not possess the charm and romance of the former.
Cinque Terre – we took the train from Florence to La Spezia and then a taxi to our accommodation in Levanto: La Sosta di Ottone III. This boutique hotel is set atop a hill with beautiful views of the surrounding hills and of the sea not too far in the distance. The room was comfortable and romantic. The staff were incredibly accommodating and friendly. The restaurant is not to be missed – only a few tables, and the service is top notch, with delicious food and excellent regional wines to choose from. We spent 4 days and 3 nights in the Cinque Terre region, doing day-trips to visit the five villages and we took advantage of both the trains and boats that ferry tourists between Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterossa and Corniglia. We shopped, walked, and dined along the way in perfect October weather. The one standout experience was a wine tour in Manarola (arranged by Kimkim) in which we were guided by a local winemaker, as he talked about the history of wine in Manarola, the process of winemaking, etc. He walked us through his vineyard and at the end we tasted some of his excellent local wine.

Siena – From Cinque Terra we took a private transfer back to La Spezia train station and then to Pisa, where we were picked up and driven to our accommodation in Sienna. The drive was great, through the Tuscan countryside, as our driver (Massimo) described some sites in the distance that we would eventually visit a couple days later: Monteriggioni and San Gimignano. We stayed at Il Battistero, a beautiful hotel in Piazza San Giovanni. There’s so much in Sienna to do – we wished we’d spent more time there and can’t wait to go back. Kimkim arranged two really nice tours for us here: a wine tasting at the Tuscan Wine School, where Georgia talked to us about five excellent regional wines, incorporating some points around food pairings as well. The next day, Georgia’s colleague Davide drove us on a tour through the hills of Chianti, to Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and finally to Volterra where we met Omero, an aged alabaster sculptor who exuded such warmth and charm that we still talk about him. Between San Gimignano (which is not to be missed!) and Volterra, Davide brought us to Il Castagnolino, an organic farm where they grow saffron and olives. Their olive oil is special—we brought some home. We had lunch there, prepared especially for us by the proprietor, and learned a lot about saffron. The views of the Tuscan countryside all day were breathtaking.

Amalfi – from Siena we headed south to the Amalfi coast. We had a private transfer to Florence train station, where we boarded the train for Naples. From there our driver Giuseppe (who would also drive us from Naples to Rome a few days later) delivered us on the only rainy day of our 3 weeks in Italy to our accommodation in Porto d’Amalfi – Residenza Luce, which is situated in the heart of the village. The proprietor Vincenzo was great, and immediately made us a dinner reservation at a nearby restaurant L’Abside (which happens to be owned by his sister) – dinner was fantastic, and we were given a great table by the window overlooking the piazza. Our days in Amalfi were spent walking, exploring, eating, shopping. All of it was great, and we found a particular restaurant worth mentioning simply because the food was outstanding and the owners (a husband and wife – Antonio and Adele) are just wonderful. Enoteca e Gastronomia il Protontino is a 3 minute walk from Luce, and has both great food and an amazing wine selection. We had dinner there two nights in a row, and we drank some great wines. We also purchased a mixed case of Chiantis, which Adele shipped to us within a couple weeks of our return to the States. Every single bottle so far has been outstanding.

Naples – we took a private transfer from Amalfi to Naples as our trip finally was nearing the end. Pasquale drove us out over the mountainous terrain of Amalfi on a beautiful sunny day. As we drove north through the winding roads with hairpin turns, we were greeted by the site of Vesuvius on a clear day. Even from a distance it’s an amazing and somewhat foreboding site to see – given we were heading first to Pompeii on our way to Naples. We spent 2 hours exploring Pompeii, which for anyone who is interested in history and archeology is a must-do. From there we had lunch at Cantina del Vesuvio, which is the restaurant run by the Russo family on the grounds of their vineyard. We had great food and tasted their excellent wines. From here, Pasquale drove us to our accommodation in Naples, the Caruso Place Hotel. This is a nice hotel, but the one note of caution is its location relative to the nearby street traffic and restaurant. Our particular room was street level, and we were just feet from tables of people enjoying their meals and motor scooters driving by. The staff, as with all the hotels, were great and we enjoyed massages in our room. We were met early morning of our departure by Giuseppe who safely drove us to Rome – a long drive to be sure, but easiest for us to do the roundtrip from Boston to Rome.

Covid – although the pandemic was obviously part of the experience, it didn’t deter from our enjoyment of Italy. We felt safe at all times, and appreciated the consistent safe measures taken at most restaurants and all museums we visited. Kimkim also arranged for our pre-departure Covid test, making an appointment for us in a nearby Naples location. Everything worked out great.

Summary - If you’re still reading this long review, then the last and most important point I’d like to make is that our Kimkim team, led by Eleni Fotiou (who is the best!) was great all the way. We can’t wait to plan another trip with Kimkim.

I connected to their tour company (Morocco Immersion Tours) through KimKim, Sharon was immediately attentive and super accommodating to our travel schedule. It was fun filled and definitely jam packed. Their local tour guides were great and informative about the local towns, we met so many great people and saw some amazing things. The driver, Amnay, was AMAZING!! He was so welcoming, gave us so much information about the sights as we passed through them, and was so patient with us throughout the long journeys by car. Would absolutely recommend for anyone interested in any amazing travel experience.

Mathias put together a fantastic photography trip in the Quilotoa and Imbabura regions of Ecuador. All lodging, guides and drivers were excellent and on schedule. Mathias was always available for questions and assistance when needed and he even went to the length of accompanying me for a couple of days in the trip. He is very professional and has a gift to quickly and exactly understand his clients needs. I cannot thank him enough and would recommend him to anyone for future trip planing in Ecuador, a country he knows very well.

This review has been a long time coming. My words are not adequate to explain the exceptional job Rebecca and her Grecianlux team did planning a two week trip to Greece for my husband and myself.
I’m usually a self planner, but this 60th birthday celebration to my birthplace was too important. I wanted help from a local and chose the very best. Rebecca took my wish list and created an itinerary with experiences that could not be topped! It was truly the trip of a lifetime. She took care of all the details- airport transfers, car rental, tickets, tours, restaurant recommendations and even Covid testing. Our hotels in Athens, Nafplio and Santorini were ideal. Each had beautiful views, excellent service and just the right distance from main tourist areas so we could enjoy quaint neighborhoods and walks.
Each driver, our greeter Theo and our fabulous tour guides were all professional and enjoyable to be with, enriching our experiences beyond measure. Our tour days were among our favorite days, including Athens Mythology tour and custom planned birthday with Babis, incredible Acropolis at sunset with Nikos, the best of Santorini with Lazarus and Anna (Akrotiri). Their historical knowledge, storytelling and love of Greece was infectious and will remain among our best memories always.
I think of Greece daily and know I will return, thanks to Rebecca and everyone with Grecianlux.

It was the first time, that my boyfriend and I booked a tour in another country through a company instead of just going and the experience was great! Oriana planned everything according to our wishes and made adaptions that we wanted. In Jordan itself everything worked out perfectly except for one situation which was also handled directly on site by our driver Mahmoun and in the end worked out as planned. So we would definitely recommend you to book through Jordan Select Tours and Oriana, and we can also recommend Mahmoun as a driver, he was always on time and very friendly.

Our jam packed trip to Greece in October 2021 was everything we hoped for.
Rebecca did a great job of finding unique experiences for us. The guides throughout were very knowledgeable, kind and accommodating. Our favorite memory was the trip to Meteora. The weather there was not very nice (cold, rainy and windy) but that added to the "other worldly" aspect of viewing the monasteries. We also loved Santorini in all of it's natual beauty. We still have many areas of Greece to explore and would not hesitate to use Rebecca again!

KimKim put us in touch with Rebecca and having a knowledgeable and local agent from Greece made all the difference in the world! She put together a custom itinerary based on our schedule and interest and we literally didn’t have to do anything but enjoy our vacation! It was by far the smoothest, no stress, no hassle, incredible, beautiful trip we have experienced! Rebecca made sure every single detail (transports, transfers, location of hotel, expert guides, tickets, welcome gift, assisting with lost luggage, etc.) was executed! She hired the best local guides to take us to the most beautiful sites! We are forever grateful for an experience of a lifetime!

Words can’t describe the amazing time we spent in Morocco. We are truly thankful with Abdel, who helped us every step of the way to create the perfect trip. We had an amazing driver, Karim, who took us to the hidden gems and magical places in Morocco (we highly recommend him!!!). We had tea with Nomads and ate delicious food with the locals, having experienced that is priceless. I loved every single city and ALL the guides were really knowledgeable and super friendly!
Mohammad, our guide in Fes took good care of us in the that busy Medina. Hassan in Marrakech showed us everything we needed to see in the red city. I forgot the name of the guide in Dades but will always remember the delicious Tajine his wife made for us and how welcoming he and his family were, made us feel right at home. Thank you Original Travels Team for making this Honeymoon an unforgettable one.
Veronica and Javier

Everything about the trip was well-executed and wonderful! From the beginning planning stages with Jacky to the days with our guide Dario, we really had an amazing experience. You can tell that both of these individuals love their country and have a passion for what they do. I don't think we could have had quite the experience without the proper planning. The lodging was incredible and Dario took us out to places we wouldn't have even thought of. I'm really glad my husband and I took a chance and booked through kimkim. It was our first trip with them but won't be the last!

The trip was great, we stayed at amazing hotels and had very good activities in general.

We stayed in an absolutely beautiful treehouse that was chosen by Diego.

I think the follow-up during the trip could have been better, and the details in the trip guide were not as accurate, for example, in one activity that included swimming it wasn't stated that we should have brought swimming suit!

Thanks Lucia (and everyone else) for such a wonderful vacation.

This trip had to be replanned three times thanks to Covid. But Lucia did it. It was such a great, stress free time. All the transfers were prompt...and when one showed up 9 minutes late (the only one that was the slightest bit late), they sent a message at 9 to let me know the situation.

The tours were all private, which was great for me, because it was booked such a long time ago when my body was in much better shape (again, thanks covid).

Volcano Day sent a guide (Tony) that carried my board up the volcano for me! All of the guides were so welcoming and friendly.

Each hotel had its own charm...but Casa Marimba had cats. Not sure if I mentioned it to Lucia, but cats are my favorite. I might have spent almost as much time petting the cats as I did in the lagoon.

Wonderful trip from a great company that I would highly recommend 😀

Thank you kimkim and our guide Olman. We had a wonderful 10 days trip to Costa Rica. Our guide worked with us with in a very short period we had and planned any amazing vacation. We had the best hotels and best adventures. Just as we expected.

Terry did an amazing job planning our trip to Iceland! I would highly recommend!

Where do I begin?
My husband and I have never been to Africa and we decided to start in Morocco. From inception we knew this would be an amazing trip. Abdellah did a great job coordinating the perfect trip and was extremely responsive and listened/executed on what we requested.

We landed in Casablanca on Friday Nov 5th, 2021 with plans on hitting up Chefchaouen (Blue City), Fes, Merzouga (Sahara Desert), Boumalne Dades (1,000 Kasbahs), Marrakech and Casablanca. We covered more than 2,000 kilometers in 9 days and wrapped up on Sunday Nov 14th.

Immediately when we arrived we were greeted with a kind smile from our guide and now good friend Karim. This trip couldn’t have been so great without Karim. His knowledge, love for his culture, country and people was very clear and he took us on this journey that would ultimately change both my husband and I forever.

Karim was always there for us and treated us like his family. He shared details about his family and how he grew up in the Atlas Mountains. His work ethic was also pretty incredible and admirable. He always made sure that we were comfortable and that if we ever needed something he would go out of his way to make sure we were pleased (like I did wanting to pet every cat, lamb, sheep and donkey in Morocco:)).

As the days past we became closer and closer to Karim. He went from guide to host and good friend quickly. This journey with Karim was unique because we were able to experience sipping mint tea with the Amazigh in the Mid-Atlas Mountains, feeding monkeys in the Atlas Mountains, having the best fresh kofta in small villages as we traveled throughout Morocco, relaxing and enjoying a fabulous Moroccan dinner with a true local family, to staring at the stars in the Sahara Desert while a fire kept us warm at night.

I would also like to add that the local guides in each city were amazing as well. Many thanks to Ahmed in Tiziri Camp (Sahara Desert) for being such a great host and for the great Tuareg music around the fire pit, Hassan in Marrakech for giving us so much knowledge about the region and it’s history, Hafid in Fes for his passion about Morocco’s culture and medinas, and Majid in Volubilis for giving us such a detailed description of the Roman ruins and the Roman influence in that part of the country.

For those of you looking at this I would HIGHLY recommend working with this company and amazing group of people, especially Karim our dear friend. One day both my husband and I plan on returning to this beautiful country and it’s people, inshallah!!

Anita (NYC)

Mohamed was a wonderful tour guide and he made our trip truly memorable. We visited so much of Morocco during our tour, and he was very knowledgeable and kind. We would not have been able to do everything that we did without his guidance and expertise.

Ahmed was great at organizing our trip to Morocco on short notice. We only had a week in the country and were travelling with an 8 month old infant but he was great at advising us and working with us on an itinerary that ensured we did everything that we wanted to. From the driver to each tour guide everyone that was organized was very easy to work with and extremely flexible and hospitable. Our driver Simo, from original travels, was excellent and accompanied us everywhere for the entire trip. The guides that took us around the imperial cities were very knowledgeable and also were friendly and accommodating with our little child. Overall would definitely recommend this company and group to family and friends.

We had the PERFECT honeymoon trip. It was a long one- 16 days/15 nights- so Emilce was absolutely instrumental in helping us craft the trip and making sure everything was organized and stress free for us. She was patient and responsive, and all of her suggestions for excursions were spot on for what we wanted to do- from a tango show, to hikes in Patagonia and Iguazu, to wine tours in Mendoza. It was amazing how hassle-free it all was- people were there to pick us up and drop us off at each airport and take us to all of our activities- we didn’t even really have to think! Plus, every guide we had was so knowledgeable and friendly- and so excited to use their English as we were the first Americans they’d had since the pandemic restrictions lifted. I absolutely recommend working with Emi- and visiting Argentina!!

Every place we visited had its own special memories. The very first, Guachipelin, interesting as a working farm, complete with oxen team. We loved the freedom of walking to the beautiful waterfall onsite, made unforgettable partly because of the blue morpho flitting about!
Our driver Roy was very well spoken and knowledgeable, answering all our questions en route from Rincón de la Vieja to La Fortuna. Super food stop at Café y Macadamia.
Wildlife tours, especially the night one, were eye openers! Our night tour guide was so excited it was contagious. Finding a tiny hidden rufous-eyed green frog by its sound blew me away! The pit vipers were very cool too.
Canal Négra tour guide, Joe, was super keen and full of info.
Tabacón Hot Springs on a cool evening - heaven!
My personal fave was The Monteverdi Eco Lodge. We were offered a complimentary upgrade with a second floor balcony. Staff was super friendly and professional. Food was exceptionally fresh and tasty! The pool was beautiful and private and not busy at all during our stay.
Having a driver take us to and from La Fortuna made for a nice change of scenery and gave us lots of time to eat at Viquez Soda and walk around the town. ( check out the chocolate shop!)
The final five days at Tulemar and Manuel Antonio Park, were unforgettable! Beautiful gardens, old growth tree forest, hanging bridges, a glorious beach, and enough stairs and hills to get anyone in shape! Raúl, the concierge at our villa studio, was invaluable.
Almost forgot - The cooking class afternoon with Stephanie and our guide Henry, was great fun - and a whole new area for beautiful scenery!
Also, the coffee plantation tour with Andrès (at Don Juan)kept us engaged and laughing the whole while. Can he bring out the fun in everyone!
All in all,
Olman did a terrific job getting us prime accommodations in every location. The balance of tours, travel and chill time was good for us. Our first trip to Costa Rica! Hopefully not our last!
Many thanks to the Ticos and Ticas who made this trip so special!
PURA VIDA!