Kimkim Trip Reviews

Thank you so much for making the trip a wonderful adventure!
Everything was simple and easy thanks to the efforts of Brittany and the KimKim team to arrange all the travel details and transport.

Thanks !!

Our driver Wasef was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable, always prompt and always very cheerful and chatty Brenda and I loved spending so many days with him. As a suggestion one day in wadi Rum we felt would have been enough. Also you should tell people that there is no internet, radio and NO alcohol. All in all Jordan was fabulous and all arrangements worked well especially the airport arrival and departure.

Iceland did not disappoint and Kimkim as well. The entire process of selecting dates, tours and accommodations was pleasant and seamless. My specialist Terry was very responsive to my questions and provided information that I specifically was interested in, in a professional and friendly manner, so I felt confident embarking on the trip. My 7 day vacation saw me reaching most of the sights and experiences that i shortlisted, and then some, in an unhurried, safe and comfortable manner. The tour guides on the ground were knowledgeable and able to add much local colour and info about Iceland over and above the bare facts. Felag was the most notable of the guides but all were good and spoke excellent English. If anything could be improved the choice of hotel in the city centre could be revisited - the Holt is centrally located when its possible to walk around to sights and activities, the breakfast was AWESOME and the front desk staff, the breakfast staff and bartender were EXCELLENT, but the rooms are somewhat shabby with barely single beds with thin mattresses, and thin walls (so we could hear a heated, scary, quarrel next door during one night). Also drop offs to the Holt involved a 5 -10 minute walk which felt safe but we often got lost in the cold while seeking out a meal along the way. Communications with the tour agency while in Iceland could also be improved if an Iceland sim is included in the package with a small amount of data or some communication through the hotels - even though wifi is available on the buses and in the hotels, we didnt receive news of a cancellation until it was too late and wasted taxi fare and nearly half day of our first day (and i could have gone to the Settlement Museum in that time - sniff).
Overall I would definitely recommend Kimkim as a travel agency with the expertise to craft a totally enjoyable vacation adventure, to suit a wide range of interests.

Activity Reviews

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

A really Thrilling experience, even if one does not handle the sea well. The tour company Elding, was very thorough about the safety considerations and on checking in they offered motion sickness pill to any who felt they would need it. The crew gave information on the population of mammals that they observe and study, and we were fortunate to see two groups of white billed dolphins, 3 humpback and a minke whale during the hour trip. The weather was fine so no rain coats were needed and there were life jackets on board for any emergency. It was exciting and the ride was smooth. My only reservation is that the initial booking was cancelled due to bad weather(understandably) but this was communicated to me after I arrived, which derailed my day plan and cost me extra taxi fare.

Quality of Experience

the ride was smooth and the staff knew where to search

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very knowledgeable and chatty staff. The sent photos afterwards but their photos were as crappy as mine

Transport

Two day/one night Snaefellsnes & West Iceland tour

Iceland

We got off on the wrong foot because the bus didnt arrive until 9:20 and I was already flustered as to whether I'd missed it in the half hour that i was waiting. Since i did not have an international sim, i contacted the tour operator using a borrowed phone- ugh. Anyway, Tomas (Thomas?) the guide was lovely and conducted the tour well. We visited some interesting sites - waterfalls, larva cave, seal coast, the glacier used as the Wall in Game of Thrones, and some less than amazing ones, among them a random lighthouse and a church. I felt that better information on why these were important or of interest could have allowed us to appreciate them more but as it was, some stops just seemed random and just a drive around with no purpose. We also spent an inordinate amount of time at Oddi - once the home of Snorri Sturluson, whose significance was not known to us and really the adulation of him was lost on us visitors without a prior backstory. It seemed like a waste of time, especially after finally being admitted to the church gift shop and finding that the exhibit on him was closed. Bummer. Tomas was engaging and as a point to improve, he could say why things or places or people are important to the Icelandic story. The accommodations in Borgarnes was fine- food was delicious. The prediction for northern lights was way low and we didnt see any. That should not be in the tour title.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rather than random facts, the reason why or the importance of the next stop should be stated so that participants can be c,ued in

Two day/one night South Coast tour - Day 1

Iceland

The two day trip was wonderful and many unique sites were visited - Jukulsarlon and the Vatnajokul glacier being just 2 of them. Overall I would say that this tour was my favourite of three that i participated in. The guide was phenomenally knowledgeable and gave us just a tidbit about each site and about Icelandic history and life in general - he left us wanting more info on the folklore and growth of the nation. The overnight hotel was spartan but adequate and the meals were typically expensive, tasty and filling. I had not anticipated a 2km trek over uneven ground to and from the ice cave and it was not mentioned in the tour description - it should be - I would still have gone but people need to know. It seems that Iceland expects all its visitors to be at least a contender for the olympic games, if not the world games, to fully participate in the tour activities. Overall, a great experience. Being picked up and dropped off at a remote site in the cold was difficult, because, although the distance was not great, getting around in the dark, finding an open dinner spot that didn't require a reservation somewhere nearby and not getting lost in the maze of streets in the town centre was challenging.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The wide knowledge of the guide, although he only teased us

Golden Circle day tour

Iceland

A very enjoyable and informative tour all round. The vistas in the rift area and the geothermal area were spectacular. The waterfalls, hot spring baths and horse ranch visits were also lovely. The guide Siggi Anton was really helpful and knowledgeable (5 Star). The only inconveniences were that drop off and pick up were some distance from the hotel in Reykjavik, which in cold weather was a bother, and that participants who smoked during stops, trailed the cigarette smoke scent into the small bus, making it uncomfortable for others.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

This was not my 1st experience of natural thermal baths, but the 1st in Iceland, and it was awesome. My sister and I became friendly with a few other visitors on the bus to Sky Lagoon and that added to the social aspect. We were fortunate to see the northern lights come up while we were luxuriating in the warm infinity pool, overlooking the sea - believe me, nothing tops that experience! The rest of the Pure spa experience- the cold bath, the body scrub, all were fabulous, to top off a totally memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

the location and service is unparalleled

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It's a self guided experience

Transport

Pick up and drop off at hotel would be much better. I had to walk to/ from bus stop ion the cold - it almost killed the buzz

We are so glad that we found Jessica on kimkim to help us plan our 30th Anniversary trip to Italy and Greece. She worked with us to create the perfect itinerary and made herself available to us in case we needed anything whatsoever while we were traveling. Knowing we were in such good hands made our minds at ease, which is so important when you're on the go for two weeks! It was a truly magical trip.

James did a great job creating a trip exactly to our specifications! All of the guides were so informative, professional and fun! Our hotels were gorgeous and we saw so many highlights of each area. All the stress of planing was handled by the team and it was wonderful! Thank you!

We started out in London and Paris for 8 days and then flew to Rome. The trip for our Italian leg was extremely well organized in no small part thanks to Fabio and Danielle. We spent a day in Rome and did a private tour of the Vatican with a friend who works there. The next morning we were off to Positano. Danielle picked us up at the hotel in Rome with our driver and made sure we made our train. In Naples another local coordinator met us on our arrival to bring us to our driver, Luigi, who took us to Positano. The following day we did a private boat tour of Capris and Anna Capris, which included a visit to the blue grotto, really a must see if you are going to Capri. We enjoyed a wine tasting and lunch and visiting the city of Rovillo and Amalfi and was guided by our driver, Carmine, who regaled us with stories about life growing up in Amalfi. The coastline is beautiful but the road to get there is not for the feint of heart! From Positano we returned to Naples and headed to Assisi. We had a great walking tour of the city and stayed in a special place called Nun, which was a convent converted to a hotel/spa. The spa jacuzzi was amazing and the hotel had just 18 rooms. Assisi was very interesting and a fantastic addition to our trip. We went to to Sienna and Florence, where we had a 5 hour Italian cooking class. Another great experience.

All in all we had a great tour of Italy and we are thankful to Kim Kim and all the guides and drivers who made this a trip of a lifetime!!

Alfonso was incredibly helpful to us as we went along. We’re an older couple who needed a little guidance from time to time and he was always available to give us answers. He was responsive to our pace as well as our interests. And he was so nice about requests that were impulsive on our part, nicely flexible. We learned he is also a wonderful guide for hiking and outdoor activities. He’s a great asset to your organization.

Activity Reviews

Private Prado Museum Visit with an Art Historian

Madrid

Excellent guide —an architect and artist

Private Gothic Quarter Walk

Barcelona

Guide seemed a bit low-key. We saw interesting historic relics, chanced upon a group doing human pyramids.

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Fabulous building, but large tour group. Well handled considering the crowds. Loved learning some of the ideas behind the building. Most impressive!

Sunset Sailing in Barcelona

Barcelona

Lovely change of pace. A bit crowded

Premium winery tasting visit

Laguardia

Fabulous food at the restaurant, amazing facility. It’s an interesting contrast to the usual winery setup

Quality of Experience

The whole visit

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge imparted

Transport

Didn’t apply

Gastronomic club experience

San Sebastián

Great fun to explore the market and then prepare the meal. It was a great change of pace after all the educational activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Punctuality, depth of knowledge

Transport

Punctuality

Gary was very helpful to us during the trip

Hotel Reviews

Pan Pacific

Melbourne

One of the best hotels we have stayed at!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

D'Altons Resort

Halls Gap

It was nice sitting on the front porch and watching the kangaroos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mantra Lorne

Lorne

The first room shown was very smelly/musty and we were moved to a newer room

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to restaurants/shops

Staff

Activity Review

Drop Off Your Rental Car in the City

Australia

Difficult to find drop off location

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were finally able to take our long-delayed trip (due to COVID) and we're very happy with every aspect of the trip. Karin was extremely responsive and took the time to explain everything thoroughly. The excursions were all top notch and we were pleased that most of them were private. The guides were excellent and very friendly. We hiked in the Tramuntana mountains with Nina, did e-cycling in Ibiza with Heather and had tours of Palma and old Ibiza. The hotels were also excellent. Due to hotel renovations, Karin had to find us a new hotel in Ibiza and we're very happy with the hotel that she rebooked us into. The Balearic islands are truly incredible and the trip had the right amount of free time built in to allow us to fully explore them.

Hotel Review

Finca sa Cova d'en Borino

Campos

A nice hotel in a rural setting. The kitchenette enabled us to make our breakfasts and couple of dinners at the hotel. Includes a nice pool and some farm animals (ponies and chickens).

Authenticity & Character

The room was comfortable and the building had the character of a very old castle.

Location

A little hard to access due to very narrow and rather rough roads.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Historical Walk Through Palma de Mallorca

Mallorca

Andres did a great job adapting the tour to what we were looking for and was very friendly. He even produced an iPad with drawings and maps of the cathedral!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andres was friendly and patient.

First of all I need to start by saying this whole trip exceeded our expectations. Rebecca was always there to help with questions or concerns and always came through with a solution. There were absolutely no hiccups in this trip plan on Rebecca’s side.
We had some unexpected weather and some of the plans had to be tweaked .
From the first Pickup when we landed to the hotel transfers to the tour transfers, they all were timely and efficient it was pretty amazing.
There was even a welcoming lady Katerina who brought us a special gift and took us to answer any questions we might have.
All the tour specialists were amazing!!
Theodore in Athens was so kind and welcoming, happy and knowledgeable, we had good food drinks and fun. Off to Crete.
George at Knossos was very good at explaining all the information at the archeological site on a level we could understand . Our driver for the day Yiannis was more than just a driver we stopped for coffee and snacks there was never any pressure. He explained a lot about the Island while he drove.
Wine tasting with Eva was so fun. This girl was a breath of fresh air!! We really connected with her and had a blast.
Yiannis took us on a road trip to the mountains and to a little village to taste some amazing food from the region. We really appreciated how slow he drove and would stop to show us things it was very relaxing. Again very kind and down to earth young man.
Antonis had to tweak our original tour due to weather and we just loved how flexible he was ! We LOVED the walk in old town and everywhere he took us, the food and drinks, the conversations. He was just a gem! The whole experience was so relaxing. He was a super nice young man with a great smile! He also acted like a photographer, he got some amazing shots of us. Great day!
In Santorini Lazarus had to also tweak our original tour but it was very nice. He took us to Oia and told us all about the island and took the most amazing photos of us at all the great spots. We would have never on our own taken these photos. When he took us for our lunch he ordered ahead then explained all the wonderful food we were going to enjoy, and I loved how he gave us some time alone to rest and enjoy our food. When on our wine tasting with a magnificent view he again stayed close by but let us enjoy some alone time. Again a very kind and super knowledgeable young man, enjoyed his company.
On Mykonos we got a little walking tour of little Venice and the town with Christos, it was very relaxing kick back tour.
Back in Athens we got to tour the Acropolis with an actual Archeologist Nicholas who worked the site for 3 years. He was SO knowledgeable. We loved how he took care not to run us ragged lol !! There was a lot of climbing, we took It slow and easy it was really appreciated. He went even further and took us to the tomb of the unknown soldier and the Plaka, even suggested a great place to have dinner.
All in all every single one of the tour guides gave us their numbers and offered any help in the future if we needed.
For us, each of the places we visited had great things. Crete with the millions of Olive trees and mountains and the beauty of the old port town .
Santorini the breathtaking views of the Caldera were unlike anything. The only drawback there were the steps up and down everywhere could be bad for some people.
Mykonos tho was our favorite. We loved not being so high up and with close walking distance to the sea and the town.
The hotels that were chosen were so nice and located perfectly!
I would say do not hesitate to book a trip through Rebecca at Grecian Lux you will not regret it!!
Denise and Pat Arkfeld Fresno, CA

Hotel Reviews

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

The hotel staff was A+ The rooms were ample and updated, super location.

Authenticity & Character

Very European

Location

Right in the heart of Athens

Staff

On the spot with assistance

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean has everything we needed

Ilio Maris Hotel

Mykonos

One of our favorite hotels. It was beautiful room, modern and updated with loads of amenities. The view was awesome and the breakfast was great. Staff was very helpful and friendly

Authenticity & Character

Modern and updated

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was big and comfy and they cleaned the room everyday

Ira Hotel & Spa

Thira

Although it was a fantastic view, it was a bit out dated. The bathroom was extremely small and the shower doors didn’t close properly, and barely enough room to move. The bed was very low and hard no bounce at all. Again lots of steps up and down to your room. BIG plus they had a staff member carry our bags which was very appreciated and the staff was great!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of the Caldera with views so wonderful

Staff

So nice so helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was very low and hard, bathroom was small, shower doors didn’t close properly, hard to move around. They only cleaned the room upon request

Elia Palatino Hotel

Chania

The location and view was spectacular, but the room was rather small and we had to lug our heavy suitcases up a whole flight off stairs. The staff were very helpful and the breakfast was wonderful

Authenticity & Character

An elevator

Location

Right on the water

Staff

Helpful and always there

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small room but ample storage for our things

Activity Reviews

Depart - Time to say farewell to Greece !

Greece

Pick up guy was on time and got us to where we need to go

Athens - Acropolis at Sunset & Plaka neighborhood | Private tour with an archaeologist/guide

Athens

Toured with an actual Archeologist was bonus.

Mykonos - Walking Tour with Delicious Goody Bag

Mykonos

This was a nice short relaxing tour, always good to get some information before heading out on your own

Santorini - Sights, Wines & Clicks Private day tour

Santorini

Great guide to us to great photo opt places

Santorini - The Island

Santorini

Most beautiful island, the Caldera is breathtaking

Chania - Antiquity and Adventurers Tour in South Crete

Greece

Very relaxing touring around the mountains and eating in the village

Welcome to Chania - The City

Greece

Great tour

Heraklion - Knossos Palace & Wine Tasting at historic Archanes village | with Official Licensed Archeologist Guide at Knossos

Heraklion

Although we enjoyed it, it was a long day with all the driving

Athens - Twilight Tour of Athens with food & Drinks | Private Group

Athens

Have us a general view of the night scene

Food

All the food is amazing and very ample

Athens - The City

Athens

Great place

Welcome to Athens

Greece

Guy was waiting when we arrived, loaded our bags

Quality of Experience

Efficiency

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Efficiency

Transport

Efficiency

Tremendous trip, great planning from Chris. Also, included some last minute itinerary changes that Chris kept us well appraised of and was extremely helpful in planning.

Antigua for 48+ hours (Casa Encantada) and Lake Atitlan (La Casa del Mundo) for 3.5 days were beautiful places to stay, staff was always helpful.

Our local guide, Josias, was incredible.

Would highly recommend travel plans with kimkim

Hotel Reviews

Casa del Mundo

Lake Atitlán

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Encantada

Antiigua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip to Egypt was absolutely incredible. We did everything we wanted to do, and the fact that it was a private tour made everything that much more wonderful. There was no waiting on anyone else. We were also able to customise things easily according to our wishes and travel plans.

Tour guides Khaled and Ahmad were so knowledgeable and kind. They made us feel comfortable throughout our time there. We learned so much!

The accommodations were decent but could have been improved a little. We had issues with our keys throughout, for some inexplicable reason. The room we stayed in at the Hilton was a little old and could have used an update. The Nile cruise room was lovely but could have used a little extra touches to make it even better. But neither of these things detracted from our stay or experience! (although the key thing was definitely very annoying) The staff at the Hilton and the MS Semiramis Nile Cruise were absolutely fabulous. Such a wonderful group of people who were extremely kind and happy to help out. And the food was amazing! The chefs were so accommodating (both for coeliac and vegetarian concerns) and we ate extremely well throughout our trip.

I would absolutely recommend the Egypt Promotion Travel team to everyone!

Amalia! We loved our vacation and thank you for all the effort and support and marvelous suggestions you gave us. One of the great highlights of the trip were the personal tours of the Acropolis, Corfu and Knossos you planned for us. Anda is an incredible resource and made the Acropolis and ancient Greece come alive for us. We enjoyed all our accommodations, especially the 5 star hotel in Crete. It was a lovely way to end our trip.
We are creating a slide show for our friends and family who keep on asking about the food, which was fabulous! We will send it to you when we finish it. Please come visit us in New York! Joanne and OJ

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

We only stayed one night, got in very late and had to leave in the morning. When we arrived about 1 a.m. we went to our comfortable room and to bed. Then, for some reason, we heard continual clicking sounds in the room which didn't stop. We didn't know what it was. I called the front desk and they arranged for another room immediately. We were very grateful. The breakfast was lovely, especially the cook making the omelettes. Thank you.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely. Not sure what you mean by authenticity but the breakfast was wonderful.

Location

proximity to airport

Staff

They changed our room immediately when we heard clicking sounds - air conditioning?

Cleanliness & Comfort

bed was comfortable

GDM Megaron

Heraklion

We never had a proper honeymoon and this was it! Lovely staff who answered all our questions. Incredibly food. Candies on the bed before sleep????!!!! Thank you.

Authenticity & Character

It was just beautiful and calm and quiet.

Location

Ease of getting places. The restaurants that were within walking distance.

Staff

Nazia and Ire (spelling) were ready to help when ever we needed it and the dining staff were exceptional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the bedtime sweets!

Activity Reviews

Knossos Palace guided tour

Greece

So much to know and our guide knew all!

Quality of Experience

Private tour allowed us to move through the crowds. Our guide answered all our questions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Food & Culture Walking Tour in Corfu

Corfu

Our tour with Mary was excellent. She showed us the church where she was baptized! And she shared information about the past and current residents and happenings on the island. After the tour we felt we had a very good idea of its history. The arranged lunch was very good and it was nice to sit and chat.

Quality of Experience

Having grown up in Corfu, Mary was a font of knowledge.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not sure what this means. We walked everywere.

Day Cruise to Paxi & Antipaxi

Corfu

The tour was lovely. At Paxi we explored the charming town and had a delicious meal. At Antipaxi many people left the boat to swim in the beautiful water. We did not swim but it was terrific to watch everyone enjoying themselves. Our tourguide did a great job of keeping things moving. She was fun. The highlight for me was meeting another passenger who, after talking for several hours, I think we will enjoy being friends and visiting with each other in England and the US. The dancing at the end of the cruise was fun. Thank you.

Quality of Experience

The tour guide made the long trip work, as did the two barristers. They kept our energy up and the dancing at the end was a lovely way to end the trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I can't remember her name but she spoke 5 languages! She obviously cared a great deal that the passengers had an interesting and fun trip.

Transport

It is a long trip and at times I wish it had been shorter. That being said, Paxi, Antipaxi and the caves were worth it. I am sure that for the people that jumped into the sea that was a highlight. The pricing was excellent.

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

We were in Greece for two weeks. Crete and Corfu in addition to Athens. The personal tour with Anda was the highlight of my entire trip. She was incredibly knowledge and shared all her enthusiam for the topic. The tour within the museum was also very important. When I was unable to climb up to the Acropolis she arranged for us to use the elevator. I want to go back!

Quality of Experience

The fact that Anda arranged on a moment's notice to have me use the elevator. I could not have walked up because there aren't any railings for climbing. I did, however, walk down with help of my husband and Anda - for balance.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anda's intelligence and passion.

Transport

I don't know what this means. We took an Urber to the Acropolis and the metro back

Words cannot express how wonderful our Iceland trip was. Jenny planned it perfectly for us. She listened to what we wanted our trip to be like and was spot on from what we discussed with her. The whole trip was put together in such a timely manner -- and whenever we had questions for Jenny she responded immediately. Most of our activities were self-guided, and Jenny provided us with suggestions on sites to visit, the history of those sites, and how to get there. Also provided were places to eat, several which we tried, and we were never disappointed. Our nightly accommodations were just so great – clean and so comfortable and we liked the variety. Hotel staff was always so pleasant and helpful. With the maps provided by Jenny and the help of the car’s GPS we were able to get around without any difficulty. We never got lost!
The views were breathtaking – every turn on the road. So many different types of views: glaciers, volcanoes, craters, gorges, canyons, geothermal areas, black beaches, lava fields, seas, and an ocean. And don’t forget the waterfalls – everywhere you look there is a waterfall. The big ones were truly spectacular.
Not sure where our next trip will be, but we will definitely use kimkim again.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon Premium Admission

Iceland

The Blue Lagoon sits in the middle of a lava field, was quite a site. We were there for the morning and then headed to the airport. It was a perfect way to end our trip.

Quality of Experience

Just fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always pleasant.

Transport

We drove ourselves.

GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths Experience

Iceland

We were in the GeoSea Geothermal Bath in the afternoon -- it was not busy. This bath flowed into the Greenland Sea, which we thought was surreal. Thoroughly enjoy it.

Quality of Experience

Relaxing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pleasant. We arrived an hour early, and that was no problem at all.

Transport

We drove ourselves to the site.

Just finished the fourth trip planned by Kimkim , and the first time working with Merée in Norway. Excellent planning, great selection of hotels and activities. Due to a death in the family one week before our original date we needed to shift the trip out by two weeks. Not a problem for Merée and Sonia, many thanks.
My brother and I loved the Polar Fjord Sea eagle tour from Bodo. Primary focus of the trip was to photograph Northern Lights and we succeeded very well especially in Tromsa with Trini. However the weather is obviously integral to chasing the Northern Lights and I would recommend getting in touch with the tour providers before hand to exchange contact information in case they need to be in touch.

Everything about the planning was wonderful-- and the reality was equally good, except for the hotels. So the logistics, the events, the guides were wonderful. Everything worked as planned -- and that is of course hugely important. The hotels selected were a big disappointment, and we should take part of the blame because we should have taken a closer look at the hotels selected. But we were under the impression that we'd be staying in 4star hotels and that speaking for myself, Kim Kim's "on the ground" team knew selected hotels first-hand. The reality was far different: almost all were 3 star with most of these characteristics: tired decor, few to no services, dated plumbing, not well-located, catered to huge tour groups. Posted hotel photos and "budget traveller" reviews often do not reflect the reality and I am guessing, given what they cost per night (as I later learned) our expectations were way out of line. Otherwise-- the trip and the notes and other helpful recommendations included on the wonderful KimKim trip app were all good.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Temps (Madrid)

Madrid

No cab driver knew this place-- a tiny hotel with some style and comfort. But off a small street, off a side street, off another small street-- all dark. If you're looking for comforts, this isn't the place for you. More like a two star. But very cheap.

Staff

Hotel Macià Granada Five Senses

Granada

Very well-located with great staff. Room very up to date/stylish and comfortable. Breakfast not so great- ended up going out for breakfast a couple of mornings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Macià Alfaros

Córdoba

Well located and comfortable accomodation. But caters to large tour groups-- breakfast can be noisy and competitive.

Adriano Hotel

Seville

well-located but (decor, plumbing) very dated-- stylish for the 1950s.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Hotel Bed4U Bilbao

Bilbao

This is a three star that is bare-bones as far as hotel services and comfort. The bed and the shower were very good, the breakfast was find, there was a gym, and the room was very clean. But creature comforts were practically non-existent: no closet, no drawers, not even a glass in the bath "area." Good for no-frills travellers looking for value over creature comforts. Location far from ideal-- go out the wrong way at the front door and you'll be in a drug market in five minutes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean and limited comfort

Gallery Hotel

Barcelona

The rooms are spare but plumbing is up to date and the bed very comfortable. The restaurant and reception staff are top notch. The location couldn't be better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Ann Marie was outstanding-- wish I could have taken her along for the rest of the trip. Knowledgeable and fun.

Discover Valencia by Tuk Tuk

Valencia

A great guide and a lot of fun!

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

Probably one of our best guides for the whole trip. Carlos had a wealth of knowledge AND passion for all things Toldeo. It was an honor to experience Toledo with Carlos!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Show

Granada

I thought this might be a bit hokey-- but really enjoyed the show!

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

We were with a group for this tour (@ dozen people). Our guide made the visit even more special given his African background and multi-cultural view of the world.

Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Ronda & White Villages

Spain

Antonio was a great driver and beautiful car! Though he didn't speak much English, it was a very enjoyable trip through beautiful countryside, and lovely time in Ronda. So glad we were able to squeeze this in!

Private Guided Visit of Córdoba

Spain

We had two guides for our touring in Córdoba-- Isabel and Sarah. Both were outstanding in their knowledge and passion for their city and its amazing sites. Great tour

The Art of Andalusian Cooking & Visit Traditional Market

Seville

yes amazing and wonderful fun; learned alot. Ate even more. The best event of the trip if you ask me.

Spain's Liquid Gold: Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Spain

Enjoyed this visit very much. Learned alot.

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Teresa was a good guide for us in Seville.

Discover Bilbao with a Local

Bilbao

Again our guide Irene was outstanding and we enjoyed every minute we spent with her in Bilbao. She went out of her way to be helpful to us-- even checking on how we could get to San Sebastien the next day. Which we did with great success!

Bilbao Pintxos Experience: Tapas of the Basque Country

Bilbao

Omayo (sp?) was just fantastic and this whole evening was great fun, with good food, wine and companions.

Small-Group Montserrat & Penedès Region Winery Excursion

Barcelona

Eduardo was a fanstastic companion for this magical day trip.

Taste Barcelona: Authentic Tapas & Neighborhood Walk

Barcelona

Ghislane was an amazing hostess and guide. Lots of fun.

Tiago was an excellent planner who really took the time to understand what we were looking for. No detail was too small for him and he even made a personal apperance at the airport and picked us up, which was a nice touch after corresponding for months over email and phone. His responsiveness was fantastic (before, during, and even after the trip), his suggestions spot on, and his guidance was extremely helpful.

Also to be praised are Diogo (our tour guide in Lisbon) and Paula (our guide in Porto). Both were friendly, patient, professional, knowledagble, and fun to be around. We thoroughly enjoyed their company, all of Portugal, and all of its lovely people (almost all of whom speak some English).

We drove over 700 miles in 10 days and it never seemed tedious or boring. Love the Douro Valley and Porto; Nazaré ansd Obidos are small towns not to be missed. Just surprise yourself sometimes; Portugal is cool everywhere. Wasn't too crazy about the Fado dinner in Lisbon, but 1 event of 50 is a negligible and to be expected on any vacation.

Thanks Tiago; you rock!!!

Hotel Reviews

Olissippo Oriente

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Porto - A Brasileira

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quinta de la Rosa

Pinhão

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MouraSuites Hotel

Largo da Porta de Moura, 7000-647 Évora, Portugal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sintra Boutique Hotel

Sintra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Memmo Príncipe Real

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

The host at the restaurant was pretty rude, claiming that we were late when we weren't/ The food, while authentic, was not too good and not generous. I think for $90 one could do much better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon - half day guided visit

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was cancelled at the last minute after my wife got Covid three days before our trip. KimKim successfully moved the trip at no cost to us. We had the best trip we have ever had except the visit to Africa to meet our son in the Peace Corps.

KimKim provided very high quality private guides who made an enormous difference to our enjoyment and appreciation of all Greece has to offer.

Every driver they arranged was on time, courteous and helpful. The accommodations were first class and we were able to get in early most of the time, which is not common.

The trip we selected was not cheap, but it was a qualitatively superior experience. We plan to use the again.

Me and my husband are returning customers to Kimkim and we are glad that we trusted Kimkim again for our aniversary celebrations. Tomaz and team planned a perfect vacation for us in Switzerland. Tomaz paid attention to all our needs, interests and incorporated each and every detail into our trip. We were there in Switzerland for just 5 days and we managed to explore all the must see attractions in St Moritz, Zermatt, Interlaken and Luzern. This was only possible due to the excellent planning done by Tomaz and team. Every last detail of our trip was planned to perfection. All the accomodations and activities booked by them were excellent. We never had any complaint throughout the entire trip. I will definitely recommend Tomaz to anyone visiting Switzerland and we will definitely contact Kimkim again for travel in the future.

Me and my husband chose kimkim to plan our perfect honeymoon to Australia and the itenary provided by Lisa exceeded our expectations. She listened to our ideas, interests and incorporated each and every detail into our trip. We were there in Australia for 9 days and visited Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns. The multitude of experiences we had in such a short time wouldn't have been possible without the perfect planning done by Lisa and team. All the accomodations and activities booked by them were excellent. I would highly recommend Lisa to everyone visiting Australia. We will definitely contact Kimkim for travel in the future.