Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was well planned and it was a pleasure to interact with Ashley.She was promptness and efficiency personified.

Wow! What an amazing time we had in New Zealand! It was even better than we expected. From the jaw dropping scenery on the south island to the cultural and exciting experiences in the North Island, we feel like we got to experience the best of what New Zealand had to offer thanks to Michelle!

She worked with us to plan a trip perfectly suited to our families interests and abilities and suggested a few things we would never have done on our own but we enjoyed so much like biking through the wineries in Queenstown. Stunning scenery and a great ride.

This review would be very long if I listed everything we loved because we honestly loved everything, but our top three not to miss would be: the overnight cruise in Fiordland, the Shotover Jetboats on the Shotover River and Waiheke Island in Auckland (make sure you stay overnight).

Hobbiton was super cool too even if you're not a big fan (1/2 of us were). Also zip lining, helicopter tours, lakeside retreats, a sky full of stars, lugeing in Queenstown, hiking, kayaking at night to the glowworm caves, we just had so much fun. I don't know where to stop. Even just the driving! Our jaws dropped around every corner we turned as we discovered a new incredible vista.

Michelle was also amazing at making changes for us or adding things in as we went along. Everything went seamlessly from flights to rental cars.

I can't recommend all our tour guides or Michelle highly enough! Book your NZ trip through her and you won't be disappointed. And I plan to use Kimkim for any other trips like this in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat

Lake Pukaki

Do not hesitate! Book one of the Lakeview villas and you will never want to leave. We felt so blessed to stay at this beautiful spot. Our villa was just amazing with incredible views of the lake and Mt Cook and a sky full of stars. The staff were amazing. All of them. They brought breakfast and dinner to our villa one day but they also serve it in the dining room to at the lodge which was also a lovely experience. It's your preference. The food was EXCELLENT. Everything fresh, local and made from scratch. It's located within a dark sky sanctuary and the southern sky was so beautiful. I'm not even going to mention the private swedish style hot tub, and separate little sauna, massage and exercise cabins/rooms. Trust me, just go!

Authenticity & Character

The home whole completely renovated kept much of it's original character with style and hardware etc.

Location

Lake view, Mt. Cook view, night sky observation

Staff

So friendly, accommodating, helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were awesome, villa was large and so many amenities.

The Cinema Suites

Te Anau

We loved this place! Super quirky location above a little cinema but no noise intruder and really just added to the charm. They have done just an awesome job with designing the layout of that place. Had two huge comfy couches and then another seating area plus the big king bed which you could separate off with some curtains plus a dining area and then there's a second room you can also book that's connected by a small kitchen. The bathrooms are lovely everything was very clean. I absolutely loved the style of the place. Would have loved to stay longer.

The Boatshed

Waiheke Island

Oh my goodness! I almost didn't want to review this place because it's so amazing and I want it to be available next time! The main lobby and lounge area of the boatshed we're so inviting and cozy and the views are absolutely incredible out over the bay. Jonathan and Mila we're such gracious hosts and so helpful with their luggage and other things. We stayed in the "owner's cottage" and I can't even describe how much we loved it. You have views from almost all the windows, a pool, and there's even a piano which I was so excited about. There's little cozy nooks around every corner to sit and read a book or enjoy the view. The host of thought of everything you could possibly need as well in the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. There are places to put and hang everything. We loved it so much we wanted to stay longer and hope to come back someday.

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely beautiful design

Location

Incredible views and Waiheke was great

Staff

So friendly and gracious

Cleanliness & Comfort

Evening you could possibly need, bed linens were so comfy

Hana Lodge

Rotorua

The two rooms that we had here were very beautiful. It's located in an older home so I'm assuming every room is a little bit different but each of ours were just really cool. The staff is super nice and really helpful as well. They went out of their way to help us with luggage and laundry and other things. The location is a little bit out of town but we liked that because it's on a really beautiful property and just a short drive to town. Rotorua was one of the places we definitely would love to have to spent more time!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Safari of the scenes Glenorchy (LOTR)

Queenstown (NZ)

Our guide Jennifer was awesome! Loved her information and her love of her country. A great way to more of Queenstown and the surrounding area.

This was the most wonderful trip! I can't rave about it enough! The hotels were fabulous and transport was always on time. We enjoyed the excursions too! The views from our hotel rooms were breathtaking! Olman did a fabulous job putting our trip together! I just could not believe how seamless everything was.

Activity Reviews

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Buffet Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was nice. Just a lot of people there

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Absolutely amazing! Totally recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Sloths!!! And our guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick and on time

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a great experience. We saw lots of cool wildlife!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Exhilarating and.fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

The snorkeling was lacking. We swam to basically some rocks that were underwater and Sawa few types of fish. It was really murky. I could have really enjoyed it but they rushed us. It was maybe 15 minutes. Very disappointed. The drinks were terrible.

Quality of Experience

More time snorkeling

Food

The drinks were terrible. Watery. The food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver/guide Sallam was wonderful. He is knowledgeable in Moroccan history and local cultures. He answers all our questions. Our tour started from Marrakech and covers Dades gorges, Merzougar desert, etc. We only had 6 days but were able to cover lots of attractions thanks to Sallam’s hard work. He also helped us recover lost items and book SPA/Hammam. We had a great time and can’t him enough!

Activity Review

Dades Valley to Merzouga Camel Trek via Todgha Gorge & Tinghir

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Alex to plan our trip which included tours out of San Ignacio and time in Caye Caulker. When our trip was delayed by a day, Alex was able to move our reservations to accommodate so that we didn't miss out on any of our planned tours. The drivers and tour guides that we had were all great. They arrived on time and were very knowledgeable on the information related to the tours.

Thank you for taking such great care of my fiance, Scott Lary and his daughter Nina. They remained healthy the entire trip. Drivers were very polite, informative and provided excellent care of two people who mean the world to me. Next time

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Costa Rica.
I did not have much time to plan the trip but when I reached out to kim kim, everything was planned for me. The trip was exactly what I wanted and took all of my preferences and wishes into account.
I visited incredible rain forests and cloud forests and had such fun and knowledgeable guides for each one. I love nature and wanted to see the interesting wild life and birds of the country and that is precisely what I did. There was not a single national park or tour that I did not enjoy. I am really lucky to have had this experience and it was unforgettable.
The peaceful walks through different forests, the views of waterfalls and volcanoes, the flora and fauna that I had previously only heard about in documentaries – the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eco Arenal

Fortuna

The rooms are set in a garden with trees and plants that attract birds and even a basilisk. I sat on my patio and watched a hummingbird feeding from the flowers of the tree in front of me.

Authenticity & Character

The gardens that allowed you to wander around the hotel and enjoy the setting

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

The hotel is designed in such a way that it feels like it is not busy and full of other people. There are little gardens around corners and even a long walking path through a forest to enjoy

Authenticity & Character

The hotel felt peaceful and I enjoyed the gardens and the walking trail

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The hotel is situated with a beautiful beach that you can access by walking down the path. I spent many hours just walking on the sand listening to the waves. The lady at reception was also extremely helpful, making many calls for me when I made a mistake and missed my transport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Direct access to a beautiful beach.

Staff

The lady at reception really went out of her way to help me, making many calls on my behalf despite it not being her responsibility to do so. I am so grateful to her for her help and kindness.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Isla Damas Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

This is such a unique and special way to experience the mangroves. The water is calm and the roots of the trees on either shore make such intricate patterns. My guides, DK and Roberto, were so patient with me and so interesting. I was also really fortunate as they spotted a silky anteater in the tree - the smallest anteater species in the world.

Quality of Experience

It gave a really unique view of the mangroves

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They put me at ease and calmed me immediately and made the whole experience fun and interesting

Transport

Easy and timely. I was also told about the customs and the places we were driving past on the way to mangrove.

Private: Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The setting is beautiful and you get some really striking views from the hanging bridges.

Quality of Experience

The experience was excellent, however, as noted, there were many crowds of tourists.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was interesting and knew the right areas to stop to look for specific birds and frogs.

Transport

Cloud Forest Hike in Juan Castro Blanco National Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike was through some amazing cloud forest. There were incredible views and we stopped at the various refreshing waterfalls. I loved our guide, who was very passionate about his forest and the flora and fauna that you find there. He was patient and even helped me cross the stream (Read here that I held onto his shoulder as I didn't want to slip on the rocks and I don't know how he even managed to move with me holding on like that!) It was a peaceful and quiet walk surrounded by the trees and forest plants.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ordered the food before the hike and it was ready for us when we got back. The lunch was very good and it was service with a smile!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The passion for the cloud forest and the interesting details and history made it a wonderful experience for me.

Transport

Private: Children's Eternal Rainforest Guided Hike

Monteverde

I love the intimate setting of walking through the rain forest. My guide, Danny, was very knowledgeable and made the experience fun and interesting. He was excellent at spotting creatures and showing them to me through his scope. We counted the different bird species we spotted and he even sent me the list at the end, to keep as a memory.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was pleasant and friendly and helpful.

Transport

Easy and on time. A calm and pleasant drive

Private: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest is such a unique ecosystem. My guide, Greivin, was very good at spotting beautiful birds... as well as impressive tarantulas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Manuel Antonio Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio Park has 5 different types of ecosystems in one park, so you get the opportunity to see many different creatures. My guide Ariel made me feel like one of the family and we were so lucky with the animals and birds we spotted. This was an excellent place to see both 2 toed and 3 toed sloths, as well as playful squirrel monkeys. Perhaps the highlight of the hike was seeing the potoo - This bird was sitting next to a stick and holds its head upwards in such a way that it too, looks just like the stick. Wow!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was able to take some amazing pictures through his scope using my phone. Perfect memories

Transport

Private Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Seeing the forest at night gives a different perspective to the day walks. We were lucky to see two different types of frog as well as some very well camouflaged insects, such as the leaf insect (which looked so much like a dead leaf that my guide, Chris, had to point it out four times before I actually realised what I was looking at) and a stick insect. I think that the highlight was probably seeing a spectral bat which flew past us - it was a really huge bat with a wide wingspan - very impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I recently had the pleasure of booking a trip to Morocco through this travel agency, and I have to say, the whole experience was incredible. The itinerary was well thought out, and we got to see the best of Morocco—from the vibrant streets of Marrakesh to the peaceful desert landscapes. Every detail was taken care of, and the trip went off without a hitch.

What really made the experience stand out, though, was our driver, Tayeb. He truly made the trip unforgettable. Tayeb was always on time, welcoming us with a smile each day, and bringing a great sense of humor that kept us laughing throughout the journey. He was so friendly and made us feel like we were traveling with an old friend.

His knowledge of Morocco was impressive—he shared interesting stories about the country’s history and culture, which gave us a deeper understanding of the places we visited. Beyond that, he went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. Whether it was recommending local spots for food or offering tips for exploring the markets, Tayeb made sure we had the best experience possible.

Thanks to him, our trip was even more special. His kindness, professionalism, and attentiveness really made the difference. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and highly recommend this agency to anyone planning to visit Morocco. I’m already looking forward to my next trip!

It was a very well planned trip by Erin to southern and central Chile. She was able to accommodate changes in our plans and was able to customize the trip based on what we wanted to do. She was very responsive and super helpful throughout the entire process. Nara made sure we didn't have any hiccups during our travel. She was able to help out with minor requests on a day-to-day basis and was super helpful too. The hotels that Erin selected for us were nice and conveniently located. Overall, it was a well planned trip by the team and they made sure it went hassle free and made extra efforts to help out whenever possible.

Activity Reviews

Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony

Punta Arenas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting the Petrohué River

Puerto Varas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to "Mirador Base Las Torres"

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Bernardo O Higgins National Park, Serrano & Balmaceda Glaciers

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Trekking to Osorno Volcano & Paso Desolación

Puerto Varas

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

My wife was organizing a trip for my 17 year old and I (her husband). My wife reached out to Paula for help and she responded quickly. Paul provided great insight and enthusiasm to our request for a father son trip to New Zealand. When we asked for special consideration for our teenage son in terms of adventure, Paula delivered. Any changes or requests were acted on and the trip was developed with high co-operation and great care. When we asked for a change due to budget, this was thoughtfully undertaken with grace and positivity. There were also parts that we wanted to organize ourselves and those were integrated into the Kim Kim itinerary. Paula was just an amazing planner and we loved working with her to creates these travel memories.

Yes it was a superb trip with great food and nice people including Saja Gimtashannatripha. Esoecially loved the elephant ride.

Excellent Guides in Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Kabah. Well informed and highly educated.
Very good Drivers.
Very nice choice of Hotels and Lodges
Pleasant and happy experience in total

From initial planning to ultimately finishing the trek in the beautiful Cocora Valley, we couldn’t have been more pleased with every aspect of this journey. The attention to detail and our needs were amazing and the care and knowledge of our outstanding new friend, our guide Benjamin, was simply the best.

We would recommend KimKim and this specific trek to our journeyman friends in search of truly diving into the culture and natural diversity of Colombia’s Los Nevados National Park.

It was truly an amazing 2 weeks in Panama. We were taken to places we would never have found by ourselves. All the guides and drivers were prompt, courteous and knowledgeable. The accommodations and excursions were exactly as described and suited our abilities. Jesse was very quick to contact us if we had questions along the way.

We had been planning a vacation in the region for months. Once we met Alex at Old Town Outfitters, our planning became so much easier. He took the time to get to know us and what we were interested in. He patiently altered our itinerary to accommodate septuagenarians who enjoy culture and nature but are not as fit and able as we once were.

Alex worked well with an agency in Belize to plan the first part of our adventure and then connected us to able, trusted guides and drivers in Guatemala who were knowledgeable and kind. He also helped us stay within budget. I could go on and on, but I must say we are exceedingly happy with our experience and the people who made it possible.

Food, jungles, beaches, volcanoes, colonial towns, and rich cultural and archeological sites, this trip was once in a lifetime , though I’d love to do it again. The people of Guatemala are kind and friendly. And speaking of kind and friendly, capable and well versed, our guide and friend, Jerry Rodas was so good to us, and we now think of him as a treasured family member.

Our trip was well planned and organized. Local guides were knowledgeable, friendly, timely and always concerned for our welfare. Muhammad, our driver was an excellent companion and made sure our comfort and needs were always met. He went above and beyond for us with our luggage issues at the airport. Amine was also an excellent guide and quickly identified our interests and was very helpful.
The hotels we stayed in were all very interesting and charming and uniquely different. I loved the desert experience! Our hosts there were wonderful as well. I would have liked more drinkable water available in our tents and alcoholic beverages on site in our area. The camel experience was amazing! The horseback ride into the dunes with my daughter was an experience from our dreams! I would caution however, that it probably is not a trip for people with limited riding experience. A mounting block at the start and dismount areas would be very helpful and safer for the horses and humans. Our guide was very sweet and attentive even though he did not speak much English.
The brunch at the hotel/horse stable was also an amazing experience! Beautiful place, everyone was very welcoming the food was superb! The horses beautiful!
A wonderful trip that ranks very high on my list of favorite experiences!

It was a fantastic 2 weeks in Norway! Thanks for the itinerary, and to Katie for the great help when we had questions, and the follow-ups, before and during the trip, together with her colleagues, Tom and Matthia, who stood in for her over the weekends in Norway. The places we went were great, and we particularly loved Sommaroy, which Katie suggested. It was a great winter wonderland, peaceful and so beautiful, and yes, we got to experience faint northern lights just above our cabin, though it was cloudy. We were initially upset about the interior of the Cabin we had, which did not look any like the image we saw, but the beautiful place just compensated the initial disappointment. The view was awesome! Overall, it was all great and awesome! We knew we were paying a bit more for the whole trip compare to if we were to prepare our itinerary and make our own bookings, but its all worth it, as it has been so seamless and saved us a lot of headache planning and all the hassles, and has assured us that there is someone to reach out to when we needed help. Thanks Katie and team! Bravo to Kimkim for the group of professional planners and guide!

Hello Ashley, we really had a wonderful time on our whole tour. Your team actually surpassed our expectations. It was nice learning a lot about that side of the country and your culture.

We thought that it was going to be a small group tour but ended up like a private tour with us only on the transport which we LOVED rather than on a bus with other travellers. We also loved the limousine transportation from our hotel to the airport. Le Jardin was a great place to stay at and the staff were friendly especially Rachel, the front desk supervisor. My relatives/family want to travel back to visit the other side of Vietnam. Just in case, are you able to arrange our next trip again?

Best regards and take care.

Our Peru trip was INCREDIBLE! It had a wonderful mix of history, hiking, food, and culture. We had some unguided time in the cities (Lima and Cusco) to explore the city, but had a guide with us to travel to different historical sites. I definitely recommend booking a trip as it saved us SO much time and effort especially with transportation. We had a dedicated driver pretty much the entire time (minus to machu picchu + the amazon) and got to explore areas off the main path. I loved hanging out with the alpacas and getting to see the incredible views. If you are also planning on going to the amazon, get ready to be full off grid and full sweaty. It was definitely worth it but boy is it HOT.

Hotel Reviews

Tierra Viva Miraflores Centro

Miraflores

small but staff was very friendly and it was in a great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Agustin Paracas

Paracas

We went when it was pretty cold so we did not get full use of the amenities but it was beautiful. The walls were THIN though so be warned

Amaru

Cusco

LOVE this hotel. Great location, great rooms, great environment.

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

This hotel is amazing! Very beautiful and convenient. We even got a bagged lunch from them that was tasty

Taypikala Boutique Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

Hotel not the best location but not bad. Was clean and comfortable.

Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion

Puerto Maldonado

BEAUTIFUL place. If I were to come back I would love to stay at a place like this again. Food was delicious and the staff was beyond incredible. One even saved me when a bullet ant was on my leg. Be prepared to be sweaty and DO NOT go if you are scared of bugs.

Activity Reviews

Lima Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour

Lima

Totally recommend the food tour. It was a wonderful way to explore the city and get a taste of DELICIOUS food. Best food we had on our trip by far

National Reserve & Huacachina: Wildlife & Dune Buggy Adventure

Peru

So fun!!! Definitely worth it even though I was terrible at sandboarding haha.

Ballestas Islands Tour & Return to Lima

Paracas

If you are in the area I definitely recommend. We got to see penguins and sea lions on the boat tour.

Moray and Maras Tour

Peru

Loved seeing the salt mine, and the different Incan historial sites. A must do

Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain

Cusco

In my opinion, this is so much better than the main Rainbow mountain. Not only did you get to see a rainbow mountain, but an incredible view of the andean glaciers behind it. Not to mention being slightly lower in elevation, a shorter hike, and MUCH less busy.

Lunch at Mountainview

Peru

I live laugh love alpacas so this was a dream come true. I would live here forever if I could.

Adam and Greg did an excellent job responding to our questions and providing top-notch service for our incredible trip to Costa Rica! We will certainly book through Kim Kim next time!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Our stay at the Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience was quite an unexpected one. The atmosphere was intended to be relaxing with its spa-like thermal pools. However, there was a bar in the center playing loud music which disrupted the tranquility we sought. The pool water wasn't clean, which was very disappointing. Despite the initial plan to stay for three nights, and despite exploring alternatives like Baldi Hot Springs, which seemed even busier, we ended up finding a better fit at another place. While the staff was responsive and eventually moved us, the initial experience at Volcano Lodge was not what we had anticipated.

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

Hotel Heliconia in Monteverde was a gem! The lack of water features was something we knew after arriving, but the hotel made up for it with its incredible views and beautiful grounds. Our room, with three walls of windows, offered breathtaking views of Monteverde. We enjoyed a nature walk on the premises and loved the locally grown coffee served exclusively at the hotel. The design of the restaurant was not as unique as expected, but the helpfulness of the front desk staff and the overall magical setting made our stay really memorable.

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk was not our favorite part of the trip. Although it's heavily promoted when you arrive in Monteverde, the experience felt intrusive. Walking in a group with flashlights and disturbing the nocturnal creatures was uncomfortable and not what we hoped for. We didn't see many nocturnal animals, possibly as they were avoiding our lights. It felt like we were disrupting nature rather than being a part of it.

Treetopia Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

The Treetopia Hanging Bridges experience in the Monteverde Cloud Forest was absolutely incredible. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, taking the time to dive deep into the fascinating details about the flora and fauna. Walking on the bridges during the day and exploring the diverse ecosystem with stunning views was an unforgettable highlight of our trip. This tour exceeded our expectations in every way.