Kimkim Trip Reviews

Portugal was one of our favorite trips we have taken. Karina was wonderful throughout the process
and it was a long process during the tough covid period. She was always responsive and helpful throughout.
Karina laid out a very good itinerary of Lisbon, Porto, and Algarve region. The hotels were very consistent in quality and
the transportation provided to and from train stations and hotels was very efficient and friendly. We are already
taking about our next trip and thanks to Karina and our amazing Portugal experience we would certainly use KimKim again.

This was our first trip to Nepal. 8 days only. Thanks to Ngima for arranging this trip for us and keeping in touch with us every step of the way.
Lakpa, our guardian angel and driver stayed with us during the entire trip and we learned so much about Nepal from him. His attention and enthusiasm made all the difference!
In Kathmandu area, we loved discovering the Newari culture and the town of Bhaktapur the most. Pohkara was also lots of fun and walking the trails in Nagarkot was nice too. Knowing our interest for genuine local food our local guide, Kamaal, took us to several tiny local food outlets we would hv never found on our own. We just loved it.
We did not stray far from main areas this time, and we also enjoyed the white water rafting with a fun team. Next time we intend to explore other areas farther afield, with kimkim of course!

Hotel Reviews

Da Yatra Courtyard Hotel & Resort

Pokhara

A 2 star hotel with big ugly rooms and bathrooms. Its clean and functional, and is very conveniently located close to tge lake and restaurants but certainly not pleasant. Website says luxury hotel, definitely a far cry !! Most horrible breakfast with cold and stale food. Terrible coffee and tea. On second day, we decided to get our breakfast outside instead to get decent coffee and danish pastry. Definitely not recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Redo all interiors, make a small cafe opening to street. Get oroper management.

Location

Close to lake area

Staff

Staff was pleasant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Design, wiring, furniture, bedding, towels,

Hotel Country Villa

Nagarkot

Lovely hotel with a Swiss spirit. Great location for hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely , well maintained. Felt like Swiss !!

Location

Great views of the mountains

Staff

Nice and pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are good, lovely balconies and heater working well.(necessary in the hills)

Hotel Ambassador

Kathmandu

Excellent hotel. Great rooms! Good rooftop restaurant. Breakfast OK, but staff lazy.

Authenticity & Character

Ok.

Location

Easy to walk to Thamel and other places

Staff

FnB staff lazy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well appoibted

Activity Reviews

Explore Kathmandu: Bouddhanath, Pashupatinath, and Patan Durbar Square

Kathmandu

Excellent guiding by Kamaal and Lakpa who really adapted to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Going to local places.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personal attention and knowledge

Transport

Comfortable car

Depart Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pokhara Sightseeing Tour

Pokhara

Ok. Nothing too much really, but guide was pleasant and Lakpa very attentive to our needs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Car used.

Welcome to Kathmandu & Evening trek briefing

Kathmandu Int. Airport (KTM)

Loved the personal welcome from Ngima and Lakpa.

Quality of Experience

Personal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone very pleasant

Transport

Good jeep. Perfect for Kathmandu.

We had an amazing trip to Norway, and appreciated all the work and responsiveness of the entire KimKim staff that was involved with our vacation including Ezdi, Julia, and Merée. So many great memories, and will try to highlight a few. We loved staying at Anker Brygge, and spending time in Svolvær. The cabins on the water are great, and the tour of the Lofoten Islands with Maurizio and Lofoten Lights was excellent. So glad the cruise up to Tromsø with Hurtigruten was included, a unique and beautiful trip through the Fjords, and saw Northern Lights over Lofoten Islands on our departure. Without a doubt the biggest highlight of the trip overall was staying in the glass igloo at Lyngen North. Incredible place, wonderful dinner, and we were lucky to have a very active aurora evening - stayed up late into the night watching the lights dance across the mountains. Back in Tromsø, enjoyed walking and exploring the town, shopping and hiking, and the cable car is definitely a can not miss experience. What a view. The dinner cruise was nice even with no Northern Lights to view. The only disappointment was that the Whale Watching Tour was not canceled/refunded. Easy to get overbooked, especially with a night activity followed by an early morning.

I was extremely satisfied with the booking process and communication as we changed itineraries and had questions leading up to departure. The KimKim team was great to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson Blu Hotel

Tromsø

Great location near water and easy to walk a lot of places within the city including across the bridge. Had a great corner room on 7th floor with wrap-around windows, overlooking water and town. Breakfast is very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Good location near airport, with smaller rooms and above average restaurant. Can catch shuttle from Airport (S55) or right out front of hotel to/from airport. Had trouble communicating with hotel before trip trying to arrange transportation. Was not easy getting a cab to hotel since it is relatively close (but not walkable). Once we learned about shuttle, it was easy getting back and forth.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Anker Brygge

Svolvær

The cabin on the water was wonderful. Spacious and peaceful, with incredible views across the water. Our experience was quiet, liked being away from, but able to easily walk to the restaurants and shops. Would definitely recommend and return.

Authenticity & Character

Unique cabin design.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching Excursion by Electric Ship

Tromsø

Did not go. Despite trying to cancel 46 hours before trip, did not get refunded due to 48 hour cancelation rule. Not sure what they need two full days to prepare for.

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Beautiful cruise around Tromsø. Had a beautiful clear evening, however no lights. Enjoyed being on the water and a different perspective of the city. Food was average, staff above and beyond excellent.

Quality of Experience

Food

Main course was not very good. First course was fun sample of regional food and dessert was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lofoten Photography Adventure

Svolvær

Nice half day trip exploring all sides of the islands. Loved our guide Maurizio, who was personable, knowledgeable, and made the day fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maurizio was fantastic driver and guide.

Transport

Nice comfortable van. Easy to get in and out at the various stops.

Fjellheisen Cable Car Ticket

Tromsø

A must do when in Tromsø. Incredible views from top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glass Igloo

Tromsø

100% highlight and a must do. We were blessed and lucky to have a night filled with Northern Light activity. I would have loved the stay regardless - what a setting. The three-course dinner was our best meal of our vacation and the staff is terrific. The travel up to the igloo was simple, and bus ride went by quick due to views and two ferry boat rides that break up the 3-4 hours.

Quality of Experience

One of the most unique stays you'll have.

Food

The best dinner we had our 9 day trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was fantastic.

Transport

Bus was comfortable and easy to figure out.

THANK YOU TO MICHAEL GOLD who was especially attentive to me and my trip mate as we planned our trip to Colombia. He booked a fabulous week for us.

While in Medellin: The hotel, the experiences, and the guides were perfect in every way. The hotel was basic but got the job done. BH El Poblado: friendly staff, great beds, hot water, terrific breakfast and views.
A BIG SHOUTOUT TO OUR GUIDE FROYLAN GARCES and DRIVER MARTIN CHALARCA as they were both quite knowledgeable in all areas of history, current events and where to get a great cup of coffee. They focused on our safety and comfort and really represented the heart and soul of Medellin.

While in Cartagena: The first hotel we stayed in was not a place that should be booked for future guests. Upon letting Michael Gold know about this he and his team immediately jumped to our aide. The sign of a great tour company is their availability to their guests and Michael and his team at Chaska took excellent care to make sure we were put somewhere else - Casa Lola. Terrific!

Hotel Review

Bh El Poblado

Medellín

Authenticity & Character

cheap modern. could use a little freshening up.

Location

Staff

front desk friendly. Breakfast room chefs were so nice - great food.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were solidly good.

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Dance Class

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

more information at stops please.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

bikes need a serious upgrade.

Drum Workshop in La Boquilla

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature-Experience: Los Saltos Eco-Park

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to San Basilio de Palenque

Cartagena

Skip. A total money grab

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Guatape is a fab little town to walk around in.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

GUIDE FROYLAN GARCES and DRIVER MARTIN CHALARCA were amazing in every way

Transport

We absolutely loved our trip to Morocco, it was an incredible experience.
Our thanks go to our local specialist, Megan and her Kimkim + Wonderlust team who organized an amazing, memorable 14-day trip for us. From our first inquiry Megan, was professional, taking into consideration our age and interests. She was always prompt and patient in replying to our endless emails, concerns and enquires. Our trip was planned and booked in 2019, due to covid, it was rolled over to 2022 and a few changes had to be made, which Megan efficiently accomplished.
We can highly recommend Megan she was excellent; Thank you Megan, you gave us outstanding service.
Hmad Oussidi, was our excellent driver, he took care of us with smile, he was considerate, obliging, punctual and happily answered all of our questions. He introduced us to our local guides and the different genres of Moroccan music, plus he was good company. It was wonderful not having to navigate ourselves around the cities etc. He certainly helped to make our trip stress free. Thank you Hmad.
We found having a local guide in each city invaluable, they had different personalities, which made them even more interesting. Thier knowledgeable, insight and passion for their city, was commendable.
Our accommodation was excellent. We enjoyed interacting with the friendly staff and fellow tourists.
Each day of our trip was exciting and held its own special experience, so it's impossible to single out favourite experiences. We visited the four Imperial Cities and their medinas; they all had their own uniqueness and feel. Their history was incredible, so glad UNESCO is invested in helping to preserve various heritage sights. We so enjoyed getting a taste of the Atlas Mountains, the Berber villages and the countryside when traveling from one city to another. We had a great time in the coastal cities of Tangier and Essaouira, their history, medina and seaside atmosphere, was fabulous. The Hassan II Mosque is an architectural marvel with incredible artistry, it was awe inspiring. Chefchauouen, was visually appealing and we loved the relaxed atmosphere. We had a great holiday.
We can highly recommend Kimkim & Wanderlust Voyages.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

We had a fabulous stay; the atmosphere was great it was attractively decorated; we certainly knew we were in Morocco. The staff were very welcoming, helpful and friendly. Location was perfect, just off the main square, within easy walking distance to lots of restaurants the medina and various attractions. Our room was spacious and comfortable. The Riad Hicham Restaurant, was excellent we enjoyed the breakfast, ate a lunch in pretty little alcove in the courtyard, very romantic. The waiters were chatty and helpful re our menu choices; had a delicious dinner on the terrace. We can certainly recommend staying in Riad Hicham.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Wow

Marrakech

This hotel really lives up to its name, "Riad Wow." As we walked into the reception, we both said, WOW! We received a very warm welcome and were offered mint tea and biscuits. I couldn't stop my eyes wondering around the reception area, as there were so many interesting decor items. There was definitely a wow factor to the deco, in all of areas of the hotel; bright, bold, colourful with interesting artefacts. It certainly looked and felt Moroccan, with a modern touch. Our room was large, richly decorated and we were welcomed with rose petals everywhere, a lovely romantic touch. The wooden window shutters and doors were exquisite. Loved the huge, golden, tassel tie backs, very majestic. The courtyard had lovely pool and the surrounding area was interesting and colourful. The roof top terrace was where Moroccan breakfasts and dinners were a served, it was also a wonderful place to put your feet up and relax. We spent 4 nights in this special Riad and would do so again, in a heartbeat. We very got very friendly with the staff, nothing was too much trouble for them, they only wanted us to be satisfied and happy. I'm gluten intolerant and at breakfast I said another, wow! as I was presented with a plate of gluten free breads, a crepe and huge slice of breakfast cake, much more than I could consume. They said, I had to have a choice. A big thank you to the chef as our couple of dinners were also delicious. Our evening waiter was very knowledgeable, interesting and we were impressed with his language skills. We certainly had an amazing, memorable experience. We can highly recommend Riad Wow.

Authenticity & Character

It was very different with loads of colour, felt Moroccan

Location

It was accessible by car, near an ATM, within walking distance to the Koutoubia mosque, Jemaa el Fnaa, the souks and restaurants.

Staff

Their service was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was spotless and our bed comfy

Hotel Le Medina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa MGallery

Essaouira

We thoroughly enjoyed this excellent hotel, the location was great, the staff are friendly, obliging and helpful. It's situated on the beach front and within easy walking distance of the medina and the harbour. The hotel is designed around a large outdoor pool, which is very pretty and well protected. We enjoyed our excellent breakfasts, outside, next to the pool. The hotel's restaurant and bar are on the beach, it was a good place to relax after a day of walking and exploring. We can recommend a visit to beautiful Essaouira and this well managed hotel.

Authenticity & Character

A combination of Moroccan and beach style decor

Authenticity & Character

A combination of Moroccan and beach style decor

Location

Sitting on our little balcony enjoying the ocean views, sunsets and fishing boats going in and out of the harbour. Within walking distance to everything.

Location

Sitting on our little balcony enjoying the ocean views, sunsets and fishing boats going in and out of the harbour. Within walking distance to everything.

Staff

Service was very good

Staff

Service was very good

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Casablanca City Center

Casablanca

We wouldn't recommend the Radisson Blu. When we arrived, we were told, they'd moved us to the Best Western, as they were full. We'd not had any prior notification thereof. (We think, they had a large group of more important guests to accommodate.) Our driver then took us to the Best Western where we spent the night, very pleasant. Radison Blu sent us, a bottle of wine, a tray of nuts and raisins and a note, apologizing for the inconvenience. (We weren't the only couple moved, luckily for us it was a one-night stopover.)

Riad El Amine Fès

Fes

This Riad is absolutely stunning. The architecture is authentically Moroccan, the symmetry, mosaic tiles, traditional carved wooden doors, lamps etc show off the sophisticated artistry of the Moroccan craftsmen. It's richly and beautifully decorated, it felt as though we were staying in a Moroccan palace. It was a very special experience. Unfortunately, it had no welcoming reception area. If you need to speak to a staff member you had to go hunting for them. The staff were very friendly and obliging but in general there was insufficient staff especially at mealtimes. During the breakfast period, we felt very sorry for the two staff members who were trying to serve breakfast, reset tables, plus checkout guests. (The credit card machine wasn't working,) They also had to get the departing guests' suitcases to the parking area. The food was good, but we did find the dinner menu very limiting and would've preferred an al a cart menu. No internet in the bedroom. Renovation was going on all over, so it was quite noisy. The roof top terrace was also closed. Very sad, as this Hotel has great potential, just needs to be managed correctly.

Authenticity & Character

That the architecture and decor were traditionally Moroccan. Stunning!

Location

Staff

More staff members and proper a reception area with a bell.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Farah Tanger

Tangier

Tranquille and peaceful, modern with amazing views of the ocean. It was perfect for our two-night stop-over. The hotel is located quite far from the town centre and you would need a car to commute to restaurant's etc

Authenticity & Character

Location

A reliable shuttle service would help

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Atlas Mountains Hike

Morocco

We changed our activity to a Berber Village Tour. It was great to get away from the bustle of Marrakech. Our excellent driver, Hmad fetched us, and we wound our way up into the Atlas Mountains, enjoying the beautiful scenic landscapes, and small 16th and 17th Century Berber villages along the way. We stopped at Setti Fatma where we met our young, local guide Mohammed. He led us further up the road to his small village, which was clinging to the side of the hill, all the while informing us of their way of life, their families, homes, culture and terraced farming. We explored the village, met Mohammed's uncle who invited us to have mint tea with him in his little home. We loved the interaction and it felt spontaneous. Mohammed recommended having lunch at a restaurant, alongside the Ourika River, Hmad joined us, the atmosphere was wonderful and the traditional meal delicious. We had an amazing experience, thanks to Mohammed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was so friendly and obliging.

Transport

Tour Marrakech with a private guide

Marrakesh

Marrakech is a busy city, and we were so thankful we'd organized a guide and driver who help us to experience so much in one day. Our local guide asked us what our interests were, and from then on, he was very informative and engaging re the history, architecture, the Koutoubia Mosque, medina and the various other attractions we explored. We would never have seen and experienced as much as we did without our guide who helped navigate through the buzzing medina, you were continually getting out of the way people, mopeds, and huge carts filled with all manner of goods. We enjoyed the workshop area. What an experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Essaouira

Essaouira

Our local Essaouira guide introduced us to the harbour which was bustling with fishermen and tourists. While we strolled around the well laid out the medina, he informed us of the 18th century ramparts and the town's interesting history. It has a little bit of a hip vibe and easy to shop and browse, as you don't get hassled. Our guide recommended a lovely, terraced restaurant overlooking the ramparts and the ocean. We so enjoyed visiting this relaxed resort town with its beautiful long beach and promenade.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Hassen II Mosque, is an absolute architectural marvel, it was awe-inspiring, very elaborately decorated and amazing. Our local guide was very good, interesting and entertaining as she was humorous, BUT our group was far too large couldn't always hear. We were supposed to be English speaking group only, but we were joined with an Israeli speaking group, we had to continually wait for everything to be interpreted and we'd be rushed to the next talking spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Our local guide, Mohammed Agali, gave us a wonderful insight into the amazing Imperial City of Fes. He introduced us to its history, its architecture explaining the significance of the intricate decor elements. He guided us through the maze of lanes and alleyways and told us about life in the medina. We would never have been able see and experience what we did without our local guide. He took us to the best spice souk ever and a hidden gem of a restaurant for lunch. We were interested in the various local crafts, which are a living tradition, but did find some of them to be a bit touristy. Thank you, to Mohammed, for enhancing our experience in Fes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

We found visiting Volubilis, this ancient Roman/Berber, partially excavated settlement fascinating. Our local guide was very knowledgeable, he captivated us with the history and the importance of this archaeological site. He made the ruins come alive for us, explaining just how this settlement worked, with its large merchant homes, water and heating systems etc. We loved his telling of the mythological stories explaining the beautiful mosaic floors etc. Definitely worth visiting. Next stop was the Imperial City of Meknes. Unfortunately, many of the historical sites are being extensively renovated, but our happy, friendly, interesting local guide Rashid, answered all of our questions and we did get an idea of the vastness an importance of these sites. He helped us explore the medina, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail with its magnificent architecture and Dar Jamai, which was beautiful and interesting, gave us a good idea of a residence in 1882.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Hmad, once again, introduced us to our local guides and drove us safely to our various destinations.

Transport

Very comfortable

Explore Tangier & Asilah

Tangier

We liked our private local guide, Morda, he was chatty, informative and knowledgeable about Tangier's history which was very interesting. We enjoyed exploring the medina with and seeing the art murals of Asilah. It was our first time in Morocco, so we asked a lot of questions which Morda happily answered. We're very glad we had the opportunity to spend time in Tangier, it's charming and definitely worth visiting, and doing a guided tour makes it more meaningful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Hmad, introduced us to our guide and drove us safely to all the various the points of interest. The land cruiser was very comfy, and my husband had plenty of room for his long legs.

Guided Tour of Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Our Guide, Abdul Salam, was a very fit elderly gentleman who spoke rather loudly. He was a traditionalist, extremely passionate about Chefchaouen and a very proud Muslim. He was informative and engaging re the history of his city, and he gave us a better understanding of his culture. He also helped us familiarize ourselves with the medina.

Our trip to Chile was amazing. Full of WOW moments. Chile is a varied and beautiful country.
We started in Santiago, staying at the Cumbres Lastarria Hotel. Great location; terrific service from the staff. Highly recommend. Only drawback was that it was a holiday weekend (Columbus Day) and many restaurants and sights were closed on the Sunday and the Monday. Did a free walking tour with a very good guide - you tip what you would like at the end of the tour. Had a very good meal at Ambrosia.
We then took a drive to Valparaiso stopping at 3 vineyards along the way with tastings at the first 2 and lunch at the 3rd. I can recommend that. Valparaiso is visually very interesting - the way the houses are painted with art is great. Again took an informative free walking tour which was a little too long - 3 hours turned into 4. Again ran into trouble finding places to eat and a visit to Pablo Neruda house because of the holiday weekend.

Atacama was definitely a highlight of the trip. Spectacular! Stayed at the Cumbres Atacama which was a very nice hotel but the food was mediocre and repetitive night to night. First day went on excursions to Moon Valley and Cejar Lagoon. Moon Valley is spectacular and definitely feels like being on another planet. A lot of walking and some climbing. Cejar Lagoon is highly saline and you can swim/float there. Harriet did, I just waded in a little. Next day I had some difficulty because of the altitude so Harriet went without me to the Rainbow Valley which was also spectacular. In the afternoon we went to Chaxa Lagoon where there is a nice walk and wonderful experience with the flamingos who come back in the late afternoon to feed. We had wonderful guides for the two days, Sebastian and Rudolfo. We were supposed to go to the Geysers of el Tatio the next day which is located at 14,170 feet altitude. Because of my problem with breathing at altitude we opted out of that trip and went into San Pedro de Atacama.

From there a trip to Pucon whose primary attractions were being very close to the active Villarica Volcano and a trip to Conguillio National Park. We had a very helpful guide there, Daniella who went beyond the call of duty to help me deal with the local hospital and with an audiologist. The volcano was awesome to look at. Conguillio was a long drive but also beautiful scenery - lakes, waterfalls, a walk to a lagoon. The visit to the Termas Geometricas hot springs on our free day was also a nice experience, although again a long drive. Pucon itself was touristy. Food not very good. If you needed to shorten your trip, I would skip Pucon.

The next highlight was the trip to Rapa Nui. A never to forget experience. Our guide there, Martin Hey, was a major contributor to our enjoyment. He was very knowledgeable about the Rapa Nui history and customs, spoke excellent English (he had lived in the USA), and was just a pleasure to be with. We would recommend that you request him if you have an option. Note that it was necessary to have a Covid PCR test within 24 hours of going to Rapa Nui. This was well arranged by KimKim. No matter what you've read about the moai or the pictures you may have seen, seeing these huge sculptures in person is an amazing and perhaps spiritual experience. There was a fire the week before we went that damaged several of the moai at the quarry, Rana Raku, where most of them were created, but we saw no evidence of that when we visited that site. Perhaps our favorite site was Tangariki where there are 15 Moai representing important people from the different clans. We went back there on our own to commune with them on our own. We visited several other sites including Orongo, the site of the Bird Man culture and the beach at Anakena. Definitely worth spending 3 days on Rapa Nui.

Our last stop before returning to Santiago and home was in Patagonia, staying in Puerto Natales.
We spent a day in a group tour to the Torres del Paine National Park, stopping to see several lakes, flocks of guanacos, and a prehistoric cave. We stopped for a very nice lunch after which there was a scheduled walk, but because it was raining and we had met a couple on the tour we enjoyed being with, we stayed at the restaurant with them. We later took a nice walk to the cave. The next day we took the Glacier Navigation on a very comfortable catamaran boat to the Serrano glacier stopping to view waterfalls, condors, sea lions. To get to the glacier you had the choice of a 10 minute walk to view it from a distance or a one hour plus walk to get closer. In spite of the rain and the cold we opted for the long walk which was challenging but we were happy we did it. It was sad to hear that the glacier had receded 200 meters in the last decade. Afterwards we stopped for a good lunch of roast lamb and chicken. The hotel was basic but adequate. The food there was mediocre except for the steak which was good. We also ate in Puerto Natales.

We returned to Santiago for one night before flying home. We had a very good dinner that night at Bocanariz. Our last day before taking the flight home we spent with the cousins of a good friend in Savannah for a home-cooked lunch and the afternoon. Probably the best meal we had in Chile.

All in all, a trip to remember. The hotels were mostly quite good to excellent. The guides we had were excellent. We also met a number of people who were traveling in Chile from various countries that we became friendly with. I also want to compliment the service provided by Liane from CTS Turismo who answered all our questions and made some adjustments in the schedule in a timely manner. We would not go to Chile for a culinary experience as we found that outside of Santiago most of the restaurants we ate in were not very good.

Lastly, want to thank Paul for leading us through the many changes we made along the way dealing with the uncertainty of whether Rapa Nui would open up or not.

Howard Zabusky and Harriet Zabusky-Zand

My fiance and I visited Australia and New Zealand for about 1 month in August and Liz helped us plan an incredible trip. We would definitely use Kimkim and Liz's planning services again. Liz and her team were immediately available to us before and during the trip. When one of our excursions had a hiccup, Liz and co. worked to get us a refund and clarify what happened. They made us feel at ease. Liz also did a great job understanding what we wanted from our trip and helping to make that happen, and the hotels/excursions she booked us for the most part were all what we were looking for. Our biggest piece of constructive feedback is in regards to domestic flights, which we asked Liz to help us with--even though we packed light, we still had 1 month's worth of things with us for our multiple domestic flights, which meant we had to navigate baggage/carry on rules for a lot of regional airlines we had never flown before. We did not know to pack a small, hand-held scale which would have been very helpful, so we recommend that anyone flying domestic flights do so. We also would have just wanted to pay more ahead of time and have more baggage allowance, but we did not think ahead to request this so had to re-pack our bags a few times to avoid some exorbitant last-minute baggage fees. I guess the best way Liz and co. could have helped us with this is potentially giving us some insight into what the rules for baggage are roughly for each of the domestic airlines we were to use, or clarifying with us how many bags we intended to have before booking our tickets. But we certainly learned from this experience as well.

Hotel Reviews

Rendezvous Hotel Sydney The Rocks

The Rocks

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Browns Boutique Hotel

Queenstown

Good location, but felt uncomfortable wearing masks (owner made some comments about it) and the bathroom was difficult to keep dry (shower leaks around onto the floor in a large puddle)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atura Adelaide Airport

Adelaide Airport

So convenient that this was connected to the airport for our early am flight

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Robe House

Robe, SA

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Ocean Villas

Port Campbell

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cumberland Lorne Resort

Lorne

Nice pool & work out room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laneways by Ovolo

Melbourne

Absolutely loved this hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silkari Lagoons Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Found the location to be a bit too far from the city center; having to rely on shuttles was difficult. Room was a bit musty. Did love the patio hot tub though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Harbour Rocks Hotel

The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Love the location and the service, front desk was super helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure & Funyak River Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Heli Cruise

Queenstown (NZ)

The helicopter company changed the type of tour we had and didn't tell us, but Liz and Southern World Tours were able to fix things for us to get our refund back. Other than that, the experience itself was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Yarra Valley Food, Wine and Wildlife Tour

Melbourne

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mossman Gorge Adventure Day

Australia

Loved this, highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch

Port Douglas

Really great, would do again

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Was nice to get out to the Blue Mountains but this excursion involved a lot of sitting in a car, spending a few short moments at the nature look out sites. We wouldn't do this again, and instead would find some way to do a small hike instead.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Consider doing a night time one instead for the view of the lights (we wish we would have done that)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Really loved to see the city this way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Phillip Island Tour & Penguin Plus Upgrade

Melbourne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Laneways & Arcades Discovery Walk

Melbourne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip planning...

Jason, our travel agent, was very helpful and attentive. He was very receptive to feedback and promptly incorporated my input into a revised travel plan. Jason was very easy to work with, and I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking to travel in Latin America. I think the only way for the trip planning to be easier is if Jason could read my mind, because it was sometimes difficult to describe the types of adventures that would interest me and my family. I look forward to planning my next vacation with him.

Vacation summary...

Santiago
- Tour guide Felipe – Very nice, personable, helpful, and knowledgeable tour guide. Provided great insight during the tours and provided great suggestions for activities outside of our planned tours.
- Tour description/review: It was a holiday weekend when we visited Santiago, which our tour guide said was why many locals left the city. We may not have gotten the real feel of Santiago; however, less people likely simplified our tour of the major tourist attractions and important monuments throughout the city. We saw many, if not all the important monuments and learned a fair amount about the city during our tour.
The day trip to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar was amazing! The mural-like graffiti of Valparaiso was one of the most memorable things from our trip. Even our little kids were interested some of the graffiti and architecture of Valparaiso. In addition to the fascinating tour, Felipe took us to get some of the best empanadas we have ever tasted. Even though the water was too cold for us to get into, the view of the beach at Vina del Mar was beautiful. Santiago and the nearby areas were an excellent start to your vacation!

Puerto Natales
- Tour guide Jonathan – Our tours in Puerto Natales were guided by another great tour guide. Jonathan was very knowledgeable about the area, nice and personable, and very patient and good with our kids.
- Tour description/review: The next phase of our trip was even better than the initial. Our hotel room offered a view of the water and the mountain range, and the tours were just as amazing as Santiago. The tours of Milodon Cave and Grey Lake were even more exciting for the kids than the beach and graffiti of the Santiago area. The tours of the Milodon Cave and Torres Del Paine National Park were very interesting. The pinnacle of the vacation occurred on Grey Lake with an up-close view of Glacier Grey. The entire family was awestruck by the size and beauty of the giant glacier. While leaving the national park, we saw several guanacos in the hills on the side of the road. The kids were entertained by the guanaco calls to one another that sounded like they were laughing. The guanacos will likely be a vivid memory of the vacation for the kids, also.

Puerto Varas
- Tour guide Carlos was the best tour guide during our vacation, and all our guides up to this point were very good.
- Tour description/review: Another good view from our hotel room and good tours. The tours were good, but they followed the glacier tour, so they were unjustly penalized. Whatever the tours lacked in comparison to the glaciers, Carlos, our tour guide, did an excellent job of compensating. The final phase of our vacation included more interesting things for the entire family. The tours included a ski lift to nearly the top of a snowcapped volcano, amazing views of Todos Los Santos Lake and Petrohue, and a ferry ride to Chiloe Island to take a boat around Ancud Island to see penguins, sea lions, and birds. Seeing the glaciers was the climax of the vacation; however, the tours of Puerto Varas were the perfect falling action in the wonderful story of our Chile vacation.

We have numerous pictures of amazing sights that will remind us of our wonderful vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Wyndham Puerto Varas Pettra

Puerto Varas

The hotel room was nice with a very good view. The hotel staff was very helpful. The restaurant was okay; however, the menu was limited. The hotel is located in walking distance to the town center, which offers various restaurants, a casino, and other attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

The view from our hotel room was amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant staff went out of their way to accommodate us when we arrived just before breakfast was finishing. The hotel is located in walking distance to the major attractions of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Santiago El Bosque

Las Condes, Santiago

The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is located in a very good location that allows for a short walk to restaurants and the huge mall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Viña del Mar & Valparaíso

Chile

The tour guide was awesome and the murals/graffiti throughout Valparaiso are unforgettable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Torres del Paine National Park & Grey Glacier

Puerto Natales

The views of the glacier were amazing, and the knowledgeable and friendly tour guide was an added bonus. It would have been helpful to prompted to bring snacks for such a long tour. Also, for such a long tour, it would be better to have a more substantial lunch included/offered.

Quality of Experience

Food

It would be good to have options available for the box lunch or the option to eat at the hotel restaurant prior to boarding the boat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip, one of the best. It was so stress free having not to worry about any transportation needs and having English speaking guides. All the attractions we went to were breathe taking. I would recommend them to anyone looking to book stress free and to have everything a country has to offer incorporated. We just had 1 bad hiccup in Mendoza due to car troubles we were not able to make our sunset horseback riding tour. Besides that I will def be using them again next year when we plan a trip elsewhere..maybe Europe?

Awesome trip in Jordan, getting to know the country throughout a full week's travel. Samir was quick and efficient in helping us put together a plan in short notice for our trip and everything ran smoothly once we were there.
Special mention for our driver, Khaled, who was with us through the week and helped us with whatever little problem we may have encountered whilst also providing us with useful hints and tips along each stop we made. Thanks to both for the great service and making sure our trip to Jordan was one to remember!

Hotel Reviews

Petra Palace

Wadi Musa, Petra

Classic hotel that is 2min walk from the entrance to the sight of Petra and the Museum. Buffet style breakfast and dinner were good though the rooms are big but fairly basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location was great, 2min away from the entrance to Petra.

Staff

Were generally helpful and polite but upon arrival we realised we had been given a room with 2 single beds rather than a double bed as booked. Upon ringing reception from the room we didn't receive much help other than being told that we could just sleep in one bed, which was't the solution we were looking for

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old style hotel, with just one accessible plug in the room that was being used by a lamp. A struggle to charge 2 phones let alone anyone else who may have watches/cameras etc.

Enjoy Desert camp

Wadi rum

Well run camp site with friendly staff and good amenities given its desert setting. Local zarb dinner was great in the evening and the staff were very friendly and helpful when it came to the activities we had planned during our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Really nice viewpoint that has been incorporated into the campsite, great for sitting after breakfast or dinner and gazing out into the desert.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Each tent came with an incorporated bathroom which was a nice luxury to have.

Shams al weibdeh hotel apartment

Amman

Good hotel in central Amman, great location as a base for discovering the city. 5-10min walk from Paris Square where there is a selection of restaurants and tea houses, whilst its also closely located to Rainbow Street. The hotel itself met our requirements, whilst staff were friendly and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to restaurants whilst also within walking distance of Amman's main sights (Citadel & Roman Theatre).

Staff

Very helpful staff, we had little interaction with them but always very pleasant and offering to help where they could.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rum Valley Sunrise Hike

Wadi Rum

This was actually a camel ride instead of a hike. We really enjoyed the time on the camels but felt it was a bit short as half way through we stopped to sit and light a fire and drink tea whilst the sun rose. We would have preferred to see the sunrise whilst on the camels and actually covering a greater distance on the camels.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camels were safe and well behaved.

Wadi Rum (2-3 Hrs Jeep ride)

Jordan

Great drive through the desert and completely different to anything we have ever seen. Although there aren't really any historic sites etc we would have appreciated a bit more information along the way or a bit more interaction with the driver about the local way of life or regarding important areas of the desert.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Jordan

Beautiful place with plenty to explore and a much bigger site than we had anticipated. The guide assigned to us was really knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valleys Hiking And Abseiling ( MUJEB VALLEY- SIQ TRAIL )

Jordan

Fun filled activity, especially for people who enjoy the outdoors or climbing.

Quality of Experience

Jarash

Jordan

Fun experience with a very knowledgeable guide. Great time out for someone who enjoys history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent and fun english guide. Made the difference on our tour.

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

Quick and effective. Local agent who picked us up took us through border control very quickly.

Kimkim Peru Review:
We had a very good trip thanks to the team of Johanna at Kimkim along with Amy and Flor at Miski Travels. Johanna kept us informed constantly and was very responsive to our questions.

All the hotels were very nice; the places were beautiful and the staff were good.
All of the drivers were excellent; professional, careful, on time.
Amy conducted a good food tour. She was friendly, fun and informative. I liked the market visit very much. It is always fascinating to learn about unfamiliar foods and she did a good job and I’m glad she included the fish monger. I loved all of the stops that were included and the last stop for a large meal was so good I wish I had a doggy bag for leftovers.
I have to say that calling it a “cooking class” is a stretch. I would be fine if it were not billed as such and just listed as the other stops.

Our guide to Cusco and Machu Picchu was Flor Bocangel Zuñiga and she was amazing. Are all private tour guides this good? I’m not sure because I did glance around to other tours and their guides and saw a bit of a difference. I think we had the best guide.

Flor was friendly and personable but also professional. She seems to truly enjoy her job so that makes everything better. She told us a bit about her life which gave gravitas to the information she provided for the area and for the sites.
She informed us of any policies and guidelines when applicable.
She also kept us safe; She kept an eye on us and did not let us stray to far. She let us know of any safety issues or concerns.

She was persistent in accommodating us a number of times. At one point we wanted to change our train tickets out of Aguas Calientes and it took perseverance on her part and a bit of time but she got it done. Another day we wanted to switch visiting one site to a different day - no problem.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to restaurants, pharmacies and main square.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Casa del Sol

Machu Picchu

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to everything but quiet. Balcony looked out onto the river.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant. It was great to have a balcony to enjoy the view.

Location

Staff

Professional, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to the walkway along the coast (paseo ruta del sol).

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Activity Reviews

Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)

Peru

Our tour guide, Flor made the trip special. She has a great amount of knowledge about the site and made sure we got to see as much as we could.

Quality of Experience

Having our own guide was such a luxury and so worth it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flor is from the area so I think she was able to provide some additional info and nuance to the tour. At one point she stopped to chat to one of the workers at the site. They spoke in their native language, Quechua (the true name of the people and place rather than "Inka").

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Amy conducted a good food tour. She was friendly, fun and informative. I liked the market visit very much. It is always fascinating to learn about unfamiliar foods and she did a good job and I’m glad she included the fish monger. I loved all of the stops that were included and the last stop for a large meal was so good I wish I had a doggy bag for leftovers. I have to say that calling it a “cooking class” is a stretch. I would be fine if it were not billed as such and just listed as the other stops.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food market was great. Lots of fruits and veggies I had never seen before. Amy provided a box with a nice selection of fruits to try. She described and explained them all. Also great to make a stop at the fish monger.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Grecian vacation exceeded every expectation! Rebecca's attention to detail, respect for our individual needs, and depth of planning, allowed us to travel with confidence and peace of mind. The hotel accommodations were not only conveniently located to our specific city itineraries, but also more luxurious than we would have chosen for ourselves. Having a breakfast available each day was a delight and the food choices at each hotel were culinary experiences of their own. We found the hotel staff members to be friendly and engaging and one employee in particular guided us to an unplanned excursion that was most enjoyable.
Another extraordinary benefit was the opportunity to explore each city, including Thessaloniki, Athens, and Santorini, with guides who ranged from an art historian, archeologist, and outdoor adventurer! Seeing the ancient historical sites from their perspective and depth of knowledge was informative, entertaining, and broadened our intellects. Each one warmly greeted us and by day's end, felt we had made a new friend.
We have found KimKim to be our "go to" travel agency and highly recommend them because they listen and respond with respect and flexibility to ensure we have a personal and memorable experience.

Most importantly we felt SAFE at all times. However after being to Morocco I feel it is an extremely safe country. Thanks to our driver Rafiq for being just awesome in both his driving and as a great guy. All our visits were pre planned and we opted out of a couple which was lovely we had the option. Our city guides were also great especially Mohammed in Fez. If I am to recommend anything to anyone try to spend 2 nights in the same city a few times just so you can get some real r&r time. It’s a busy and packed trip but you’ll want to see it ALL!!!! The people are so kind and beautiful. We have a line up of people wanting to do this trip and I will recommend kim kim 100%!!!!!

Hotel Reviews

ONOMO Hotel Casablanca Airport

Nouaceur

Typical airport hotel but just what we needed so we could be on our early morning flight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar Anika

Marrakech

Awesome hotel. Could have easily spent two nights here!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seemed a bit tired

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seemed a bit musty but the air conditioner seemed to help with that.

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais d'Hôtes Suites & Spa Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Carpets were tired and could use a cleaning

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

This was our favourite of all Nicest and newest of all. High end all the way. They were working on the lower outdoor pool still but the rooftop pool was awesome. The staff and hotel was 5 star all the way.

Authenticity & Character

Nice and new

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

This was at the end of our trip and just when you thought there wasn’t more to see. I was pleasantly impressed with Marrakech. Great way to end the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Weakest of all of the guides. Not overly engaging. But loved the city

Transport

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again the stop with the Argan oil was underwhelming. No education and very unenthusiastic and staged. Now having said that I bought a ton of Argan oil lol

Transport

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

We opted not to do this and just spend the day at our awesome hotel.

Quality of Experience

Didn’t go

Food

Didn’t go

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Didn’t go

Transport

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Could have done without the carpet salesman. At this point the preselected sales pitches were getting tired. We heard others say it as well. The two women spinning wool wee just for show and it was quite obvious. I had been to a authentic carpet making tour in turkey and it was so interesting. This not so much. Just say “do you want to buys carpets we can take you to a showroom “

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga via Ifraine and Azrou - Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Morocco

Well this was just all in all awesome!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

This was our favourite part of the trip. Our guide Mohammed was AMAZING!!! He was so engaging and very passionate about his city. He also took us to our second favourite restaurant on the trip. GREAT FOOD!!! This tour made Fez our favourite spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

If there was a sixth star we’d give it!

Transport

Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Morocco

Our driver took us to an amazing restaurant in Rabat. Our favourite restaurant of the whole trip. It was nice to have a menu and pick our own food. We are not huge fans of preset menus which was most of the rest of the trip. Wouldn’t be ever eating dessert usually. And we like sharing different things. So this restaurant was our top pick for sure.

Quality of Experience

Perfect start to the trip to see the mosque. Our driver took us to exchange money and stopped for a coffee when we needed one

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Our guide in Fez Mohammed really made this our favourite stop!!! We talked to others at the airport (on a bus tour) and it was their least favourite. It was our favourite. Our guide was excellent and full of enthusiasm about the city and very modern thinking so some great questions and answers were provided. He took us to a restaurant that also was one of our faves as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

As mentioned nice with some alone time. Great to do some good walking in this area which we enjoy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rabat to Chefchaouen

Morocco

Loved this stop. Nice to have some alone time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elena planned a fantastic tour of northern Italy - Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Bologna, Venice - for me and my husband. Based on a couple of phone calls and messages, she tailored the trip, including all the great guided tours and activities, perfectly for our interests. She thought of every detail to make the trip go smoothly. And while we were in Italy, Elena was always available by WhatsApp for any questions or concerns.

Hotel Review

Belvedere di San Leonino

Castellina in Chianti

The Belvedere is beautiful with amazing views of the Tuscan hillside. We had such a relaxing stay there after a week in Florence. Breakfast was delicious - with an ingenious cappuccino maker!

Activity Review

Food day including Lambrusco wine tasting, Balsamic Vinegar, pasta making class, Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano - from Bologna

Italy

This was probably the highlight in a trip of amazing experiences! We learned so much about how lambrusco, parma ham, parmigiana reggiano, and ricotta are made. We cannot overstate how delicious everything was. Just a note - instead of the pasta making class, we had lunch at the Opera winery, which was incredible, with the most beautiful views. Our guide Isadora and driver Fabia were very knowledgeable and great fun. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ali and Said from Original Travel were very responsive in answering questions and adjusting our itinerary to match our preferences.

Our weeklong guide Karim was outstanding and really improved our experience. His spoken English is excellent. More than just a driver, he added a lot of local knowledge about the places we went, and also frequently pulled over at scenic vistas or interesting spots and took pictures of us, as well. Cheerful and outgoing, he seemed to know others at all the stops, and also helped us with calling local places for reservations. He also introduced us to a great guide at Volubilis, and advised at which stops a guide was a good idea versus those where we could go without.

Speaking of local guides, Hanan Edaali was our guide for a walking tour of Marrakech. She was delightful, and showed us some details in the medina that we would have never experienced on our own. We didn’t see hardly any other female guides during our visit—she is worth seeking out.

One of the highlights of the trip was Tiziri camp in Merzouga for our Sahara desert experience. Ahmed the proprietor went beyond the expected experience to offer campfire q&a about Berber culture and Moroccan history. We were so glad we chose to stay two nights there, which allowed us to have a day tour around the region to learn more about local history, culture and geography.

One final highlight was the Palais Sebban riad in Marrakech—what a wonderful lodging experience. Beautiful decorations and furnishings, great location, friendly staff—highly highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Great location and gorgeous, opulent decorations and outdoor spaces including terraces.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Beware where your room is located. The Salam Fes is one of evidently at least 3 co-owned neighboring properties. For reasons never explained to us, we were instead initially put in one across the street with subpar lodging, a faulty toilet and a lower posted online price than Salam Fes. After complaining (including great support from Original Travel) we were moved to another Riad on the block called Scherezade, which was fantastic.

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

The location was fine but not great. The food offerings appeared limited (we went out to eat, though breakfast was good). Their bar literally ran out of wine and a local brand of beer while we were there. The staff was very helpful, however.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Ahmed and his team were incredible. Beyond the hospitality (food, wine, music, accommodations), he offered so much local knowledge and passion. Also we made the wonderful decision to stay two nights, which allowed us to have an outstanding day tour on the region. It also allowed us to pass by a lot of the dozens of other camps in the area. Tiziri is superior with just six tents and some space and dunes between it and the next one. Nearby were larger camps lined up one next to the other—Tiziri’s set-up is so much better.

Authenticity & Character

Beyond just the music by the fire, there was active solicitation of questions about the culture of the region, Ahmed and his team are interested in teaching and providing understanding for their guests who appreciate it.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Majorelle Gardens

Morocco

Go with a guide if you can—guides get to skip the long ticket line and go straight in.

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

It is 100% worth having a guide, at least if it is Hanan Alaadi. You will learn so much more.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hanan is worth getting—you should ask for her, including to get a woman’s perspective.

Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karim was very helpful on this and every other excursion

Transport

Erg Chegaga Desert Adventure

Morocco

Absolutely worth staying a second night not only to enjoy Tiziri, but to experience this tour with Ahmed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ahmed from Tiziri made this experience fantastic.

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou & Atlas Mountains.

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karim was wonderful for this and all the other parts of our tour.

Transport

Our trip to Morocco organised by Sharon and colleagues at Moroccan Immersion was excellent. We booked and paid 2 years ago and Covid intervened. Two years later and Sharon honored our tour and we had the best experience. Excellent tour leader, guides and amazing sights, sounds and food, did I mention the shopping. Well 2 girls will be girls and retail is important!
We felt safe, listened to and always offered options. We definitely would recommend this way of experiencing Morocco and look forward to immersion tours in other countries that we will go on. Thank you Sharon, family and friends.
Cheers Di and Sally

Our trip was fabulous! We enjoyed all of it and felt special with the personalized plan that was paced perfectly for us. My most unforgettable evening was our dinner cruise on the Seine. Thank you for the perfect time in Paris.

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Six

Paris

The accommodations and service were outstanding and the breakfasts were delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Monet House & Impressionism Museum - Half day Tour from Paris

Paris

Absolute beautiful surroundings. Our driver took a scenic way back to Paris…wonderful old villages

Cheese and wine tasting in a Parisian cellar in the Marais

Paris

Great fun evening!

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a great experience! Jenny was a perfect coordinator with our plans. She stayed in constant contact, if we had any concerns or questions. 100% recommend to anyone traveling to a new place. Everything was easy to navigate, locations, hotels, car, I could not have asked for anything better. Thank you!!

Activity Review

Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike

Iceland

Our guide, Pascal, was informative and awesome. We learned a lot about the landscape and how to climb safely. 100% recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was amazing. Starting with a very smooth planning and organizing by Mieke.
Our tour guide , Namgyal was treating us like family. He was very patient, attentive and professional. He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about Bhutan’s history, culture and religion. Our team during the trek was excellent. They even baked a birthday cake for my husband.
The only comment I would make is about our accommodation in Paro. It was far away from the town so we could not wander around. We also were surprised that the car was not allowed to drive close to the house.

Activity Reviews

Dagala Trek day 4: from Labatama to Panka

Labatama

Views were incredible and autumn’s colours added to great experience.

Quality of Experience

Look

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dagala Trek day 3: Labatama resting day

Labatama

Beautiful hike but be aware of altitude. Take it easy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dagala Trek day 2: from Gur to Labatama

Gur

Wonderful hike with amazing views of Himalayas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punakha - Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten hike

Bhutan

Amazing views and a close encounter with local village and farmers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dochu La Pass - Lungchutse Lhakhang hike

Bhutan

Quality of Experience

It

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thimphu - Memorial Chorten

Thimphu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was great. It was easy to plan and Ashley was very prompt in making the changes we asked for. We had a few hiccups along the way which Ashley sorted out.

Highly recommend using KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Stellar of the Seas

quảng ninh

Really top notch!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apricot Hotel

Hanoi

Beautiful hotel. We had a suite with a large balcony overlooking the lake. Best hotel of our two week trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class

Hanoi

Really great tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Vespa Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport