Kimkim Trip Reviews

Linda was incredible. Helpful, kind, patient and very responsive. I loved working with her. She gave great recommendations and was there every step of the way. 10/10!

I had a great vacation with my guide, Karim. He was with us throughout our adventures, and was very well informed about the culture, the country, and the various places we visited. He was also attentive to our needs during the vacation I will come back again to see the rest of Morocco with Karim as my guide.

Overall it was a very good experience.. Ecuador is a beautiful country . Certain things that I would mention which needed more clarification / improvement were/
1- we did not like our guide to. Be switched on the 3rd day in Quito.
2- I know the time may have been a factor but Cotopaxi should have been mentioned and may be we should have done Cotopaxi over a whole day in Quito . We could have done the Ewuatir by ourselves.
3-Amazon was fantastic especially our guide Jefferson . We should have been told about the electricity situation . My husband and I have to use a Capp machine and we couldn’t on the first night . It was just by chance that we were talking to our guide the next day that he said that they will provide electricity for our hut for the full night for an extra fee of $30 - so we did that.
4- Galápagos was beautiful and heavenly. Unfortunately our gude was not very organised. He should have given us a written itinerary. He gave us directions to gear stores without the address and it was very confusing. We almost missed our second day’s boat . We tried to contact him but he wasn’t reachable . On our last day he wanted to pick us up from the hotel at 10 a.m. when our flight was at1 p.m. The airport is literally 3 minutes away and we didn’t have to sit there in the heat for 2 hours . Even the counter was not open . According to the guide (Fernando) those were the instructions given to him by Kimkim.
Lastly, if I hadn’t asked we would have never seen the tortoise. I remember asking Alvaro and he told me we could see them on any island. How could you have planned a trip for us without including the tortoises? I paid $80 for a 4 hour trip for the tortoises .

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

The first two nights the room with one bed was extremely small . We did get a better room after our return from the Amazon .

Authenticity & Character

Quaint and clean

Location

Not accessible from the main part of the city . Would have preferred to have stayed in the main city

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was too small and had very few outlets

Nicky Amazon Lodge

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very very friendly and awesome food

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Algarrobos

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Too long

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Otavalo Market - Peguche Waterfall - Quito

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Jungle! Entering Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Wow

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

This was ok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indigenous Experience & Discover the Jungle at Night

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Farewell Cuyabeno! Return to the City

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Back to Quito

Ecuador

We have fallen in love with Morocco and in large part that is because of the wonderful experience your company organized for us. We very much appreciated the flexibility and the attention to every detail that was part of the planning process. It made this trip effortless and truly allowed us to relax and enjoy every moment without once having to worry about the logistics.
We also are very grateful that we had Karim as our guide and companion through our time here. He brought this country to life for us. His stories and his knowledge and his care for us was an important part of what made this trip truly memorable for us. He made the people, their lives and their values real for us. We felt privileged to have him as our guide and feel that we are leaving behind a friend in Morocco.
We started our trip in Casablanca and then spent the next few days driving around the country visiting Rabat, Fes, and Marrakech. Along the way we stopped at so many beautiful vista points and had a chance to truly take in the beautiful and varied landscape. We even had tea with a local Berber family and laughed with their children and played with their baby goats. This would not ordinarily be something we would think of doing on a trip - but small touches like these made this trip feel personal and meaningful. We were more than tourists - we were given the opportunity to meet the real people and to break bread with them.
Every location we stayed at was exactly what we asked for and exceeded our expectations as we stepped into breathtaking Riads.
This trip was truly memorable and we have already shared your contact information with family and friends who are considering a trip to Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

Typical tourist hotel with all the necessary amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently close to major attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

You have the option to either take a camel or car to the location. In either case you can enjoy the desert sunset and sunrise. This camp was nothing short of luxurious. From the comfort of a fully equipped tent with running water and the warmest beds to a full service dinner and fantastic breakfast buffet. The evening entertainment was offered by the staff with drums and local songs and dances. If you would rather stargaze - this is the perfect place to do it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Titrit

Ait Ben Haddou

While we were excited about staying at a Kasbah - the actual experience was not ideal. The electricity in the room kept flickering and the heating would turn off and then start flashing several times in the night. Making for a very unrestful night. The only available shower had no walls or curtains and the shower head sprayed water everywhere - so it was impossible to shower without flooding the entire bathroom. The dinner was a set menu and we had only the option to select our meat without any indication of how it would be prepared. While the meal was delicious - we felt like we were somewhat trapped and didn’t have the option to pick something else. Perhaps the experience would be different during the high season - we were the only guests at the Kasbah and would not care to repeat the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There are no restaurants within walking distance which means we have no choice but to eat at the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We discovered used underwear left behind in the room by a previous guest. Made us suspicious about the degree of cleanliness of the room overall.

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Beautiful Riad and wonderful staff. This Riad is an oasis in the middle of the Medina and provides a wonderful place to escape from the hectic pace of Marrakech. Just hang out in the courtyard and enjoy the lovely surroundings with the sound of running water and the lush greenery. The food has been great and we were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes Nass Zmane

Fes

Imagine walking down the maze of narrow streets of a Medina and then arriving at a door in a high wall that opens into a magical place that transports you to everything you ever imagined Morocco to be. This is Riad Nass Zmane. This Riad is beautiful and we enjoyed their lavish breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely beautiful Riad. Your sense will be overwhelmed by the sheer splendor of the interior.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Casablanca Odyssey: Explore Casablanca with your driver

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karim, our driver/guide met us at the airport and immediately made us feel welcomed and cared for. We had received some concerning news from home as soon as we landed in Casablanca and were considering returning home right away. Karim was so empathetic and willing to adjust the plans as needed. Fortunately we did not need to cancel our trip and Karim’s sensitivity to our situation was very much appreciated.

Explore the Grandeur of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Truly a magnificent mosque. Photographs can’t do it justice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Journey Through History: Casablanca to Fez Passing Through Majestic Rabat

Morocco

Gorgeous views and pristine beaches.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes Unveiled: Unravel the Riches of Morocco's Ancient City

Fes

We found that the tour of the Fes Medina became too overwhelming and long for us. Four hours of navigating very small and narrow alleys and lanes lost it's charm quite quickly. Also the spots we visited had restricted access - such as the mosque and other religious sites. While this makes sense as these are locations that are in daily use - it left us wondering what we were there to see when all we could do was hover near the entrance. A shorter visit into the Fes Medina would have been preferable. While our guide was well informed - we did feel like he had a list of things he was meant to check off his list and he was completing the task at hand. This was a contrast to our experience with our driver guide - who was really responsive to our curiosity and areas of interest, thus creating an experience that felt personal and meaningful. We enjoyed the visit to the local pottery cooperative and would have liked to spend longer there choosing some things to bring home with us - however our appointed guide rushed us through because he wanted us to visit a location that he said would close early. We did not actually head to this location until many hours later and were there with several hours to spare before their closing time. Overall - out of all the places we visited - Fes turned out to be our least favorite tourist spot - although our stay at the Riad there was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

For our first time to Japan, Fei made a trip where we really got to see a lot of Japan. Our guides were great people who had exceptional knowledge of Japan and the places and things we saw. They made us feel welcome and helped us explore their cities and points of interest.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Very comfortable beds, quiet, very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Green Plaza Hakone

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nagoya Tokyu Hotel

Nagoya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day City Tour with Tokyo National Museum and Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Izakaya Cooking Class (small group tour)

Kyoto

The cooking class was so much fun. It was very easy as the staffed had prepared a lot of the ingredients but the recipes were easy and tasty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked through the neighborhood from our hotel.

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Hiroshima

This was a great tour but it would be better as two days. We were rushed to see everything before it closed. Hiroshima tour is very in depth and heavy and deserves to be appreciated. Miyajima was really impressive and worth the trip from Hiroshima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The samurai and ninja museum was quick and interesting. The Tea ceremony was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Nara City Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

The rich history and the Great Buddha were amazing and well worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Nagoya Castle and City Museum Tour

Nagoya

Lots of things were closed due to New Years Holiday But the Toyota Museum was excellent. definitely worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Given that we put the trip together at the last minute in peak season, they did a great job. Other companies told me that they were sold out and couldn't help us, but Kim-kim was able to put something together for us.

The whole trip was excellent. Hesham Nour was our Cairo and Alexandria guide. He was excellent. He helped find good local restaurants and taste good local food.
Ahmed was our Luxor, Edfu and Aswan guide. He was excellent.

Overall the trip was excellent. A few things that I suggest are:
A) The Nile cruise overall is ok. It is for sure not new and not 4+. I would rate it 3. The staff in the cruise are good but the floor was creeky and the carpet was not well laid. The bathroom was a bit leaking. I would suggest to prefer another cruise. Sightseeing and other things in the cruise are good.
B) There were too many staff changes. The guides were consistent but the drivers changed often. I prefer I stick to a team so that I get to know them better. Before I knew someone a new one comes in.
C) I would suggest kimkim to suggest an appropriate tipping guide. Other travel agencies do that. I had to read other blogs for tipping guide.

Thanks to the whole team for making it a memorable experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Regency Cairo west

cairo

This is excellent. The front desk staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is very close to the pyramids

Staff

The staff helped us with international charges.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Baharia Camp

Bahariya

The hotel was ok. A 3 star

Authenticity & Character

The staff are good

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Steigenberger Achti

luxor

A very good hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in heart of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara & Memphis

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to visit Old Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din & Old Cairo

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hesham took us to an excellent restaurant to taste Kushari.

Transport

Cairo - White Desert

Bahariya

The trip was good. But a long travel to the desert. Not very convenient for restrooms.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor temple

Egypt

Quality of Experience

Ok

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bahariya - Cairo

Bahariya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was ok. We had to keep telling him to close the windows as it was noisy

Transport

Visit Edfou temple and Kom Ombo temple

Edfu

Quality of Experience

Look

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Abu Simbel temple and Aswan

Aswan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Over day Alexandria

Cairo Int. Airport (CAI)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Valley of the Kings - Hatshepsut temple - Sail to Edfu

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Look

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a big trip for our family of four -- myself, my husband and our two daughters, age 9 and 12. Galapagos isn't an easy place to get to from the U.S. with the multiple flights and the overnight in the mainland. I had no idea how to go about planning all of this and found it all a bit intimidating. Thank goodness I found kimkim and Alvaro our trip planner. I had never used a service like this. But now I don't think I will ever plan a trip alone again. Customizing a trip with Alvaro ahead of time (with multiple back-and-forth versions of the itinerary) and then having all the guides meeting us along the way and all the decisions made beforehand made the trip so much less stressful. In fact, it wasn't stressful at all! I could just enjoy each experience, each day, each hotel, and not have to worry about anything. Alvaro was immediately responsive on whatsapp text throughout the trip. Note: I have traveled widely. I don't think I've ever been anywhere with people as kind as the Ecuadorians. Not once in two weeks did someone try to upsell me anything. Everyone just generally wanted to be helpful and to make sure we had a good time and enjoyed this incredible opportunity to be with the animals. Our local guides, in particular, Edison in San Cristobal and Julio (unparalleled in my view) in Isabella, were incredible. We miss them!

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Great hotel to overnight at on way to and way back from the Galapagos.

Location

10 minutes from the airport and right on the promenade with restaurants and access to the cool 444 steps to the light tower.

Staff

So friendly. We forgot a pair of pants and they held them for us for our return.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean.

Golden Bay Galapagos – Specialty Boutique Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

Our favorite hotel of the trip.

Location

Easy to walk everywhere.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blu Galapagos Sustainable Waterfront Lodge

Puerto Ayora

This hotel is interesting because it is built into the mangroves. You can easily walk to the main strip or to the Darwin Center. And it is quieter because it isn't in the center of the action, which I liked. But I didn't really love that there wasn't really a great place for us to hang out. There's the tiny area where they serve breakfast with one couch and two chairs where you can see all the marine animals right there. And there's a little area on the upper level with a hammock. But not much more. The breakfast isn't terrific here but it is adequate. No amenities. Was our least favorite of the hotels. Much preferred Golden Bay in San Cristobal and The Albermarle in Isabella (which was beachfront and had a pool and a nice area to hang out for the kids.) Unsure if there are better options on the waterfront for families.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Snorkeling at La Loberia kicked off our trip and it was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Edison our guide!

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great activity. The snorkel is the best part.

Puerto Villamil Stand-Up Paddle Boarding

Puerto Villamil

This was our least favorite activity of the trip. I think we booked it instead of the volcano because I didn't think my kids would be up for a long, hot hike around the crater. But note this is not a chill SUP like the photo shows. You should have some SUP experience for this two-hour SUP into a strong current. Ended up kayaking with the girls.

Kayaking on Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

We had seen so much good marine wildlife in San Cristobal and Isabella that this kayak was a bit of a letdown. But we really, really enjoyed snorkeling with the marine iguanas in an adjacent area. My husband was ecstatic at this part. (Rare to get to be in the water with the swimming iguanas.) And the big beach is gorgeous.

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

This is a complicated one to review. It is three hours on a boat there and three hours on a boat back and you have to leave at 5:45 a.m. This is really to get to see the scenery and a chance to see the penguins. (But if you go to Isabela Island you see more penguins.) I was anxious about the boat because we did an activity called San Cristobal 360 with the roughest boat ride of our lives. This boat ride, like Alvaro assured me, was nothing like that. It was relaxing and we were able to pass the time resting, sleeping and enjoying the boat. The crew was great and the chef even prepared omelettes for us when we didn't want the fish they were serving. My husband had an amazing experience swimming with a penguin that he said was the highlight of the trip for him -- even with three scuba dives and endless other snorkels.

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

This was a trip highlight. We loved walking around the ranch and seeing the giant tortoises. Lunch was amazing too.

Hello Johanna did a great job of pulling together our amazing trip to Peru and the Galapagos. There were some small snafus in terms of timings but overall it was a great time. We would definitely go again. Our local guides were amazing and we learnt so much from our experience.

Hotel Reviews

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms facing the ocean are gorgeous. But the internet leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s the Galapagos for you. ❤️

Activity Reviews

Puerto Villamil: Day 2

Isla Isabela

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Santa Cruz Island & Tour Charles Darwin Station

Peru

The tortoises are just amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Villamil: Day 1

Isla Isabela

This was ok would have been good to know that this was a hike tour in high heat. Would Likely not have done as heat intolerance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostly great
Couple of the hotels were a little short of what we wanted but given I chose them , then no fault of agent
Everything was smooth
Transport was good and the two main drivers we used very courteous and safe and reliable
Communication with agent via WhatsApp was also very good although difficult when away from
WiFi

Original Tours is a solid 5 stars-Said was always available through WhatsApp and he replied quickly -
Make sure you have WhatsApp installed on you phone before you leave your country
Below are my thoughts, not my wife's
Our driver Soukaina was incredible. She stopped whenever we asked to take pictures, or to get honey, or for the view. She was always on time and checked in with us to make sure everything was fine at the Riads we stayed in. Her laugh is infectious, and she alone gets 10 stars for being the only women driver in Morocco
Hanan- our tour guide in Marrakesh, 5 stars, was informative, friendly and was easy to have discussions about current and past Morocco. Walking thought the Palace she explained in details the family structure at the time of the Palace first resident. We met another group that had her as a guide and they too spoke highly of her
Mahomed, our Fez guide, 0 stars. He took us to a rug dealer, which we did not ask for. after some time there I told him we are done look at the carpets. Instead of him moving on, he said "you don't need to buy, just look", he then proceed to inform us how the shop could ship the carpet home. He took us to places that gave him a cut if we purchase anything. Though out the tour he would point out certain things but not really go into detail, and was not easy to have a discussion with. I could fill a page on this tour guide.

Hotel Dar Mounir - 5 stars - good location everything worked in the room
Riad Ghita - 4 stars, due to a draft coming in though the winder that the heater could not compete with, TV was broken. Host was wonderful, her breakfast and dinners were stunning
Tiziri Luxury Camp-5 stars- host were incredible. only recommendation is drive to the camp, take the camel to the sunset. 2 hours on the camel is 1.5 hours too much.
Riad Ksar Ighnda-3 stars only because it is in the middle of no-where and seemed pricey for what they offered
Palais Sebban 5 stars mostly due to the New Years Eve Party. The host was making sure people were dancing and having fun. The staff were dancing and having as much fun as the guest. I applaud the host that she included everyone at the party, which had a fire dancer, belly dancer, magician and a all women group that got the part going. Not to mention releasing doves at the beginning.

Rachel designed an incredible trip for me, my husband, and my 6 year old son. She provided great advice on what to do and what to avoid. (For example, she told us not to take the train from Edinburgh to London, as it wasn’t the experience we thought it would be.) I would certainly use her again to plan another trip.

Just returned from a 15 day trip to Thailand. Our local specialist Kelly did a fantastic job planning this for us. She was very responsive, always available during the trip and very accommodating of the last minute changes we had.
We visited Bangkok, Khao Sok and Phuket. The local guides at all 3 places did a great job. They were friendly and informative. We had transportation and support every step of the way.
The only negative, which was a small blip in a 15 day trip, was the Phi Phi Island excursion in Phuket. Our request for the entire trip was private tours but this one was not and the excursion itself was not worth it.
We provided feedback to Kelly and she was very understanding. Following this we checked on another excursion we had scheduled and when we realized it was also a large group tour we decided to cancel. Kelly was able to help us cancel and get a full reimbursement even though it was last minute. Her support was truly appreciated and made this just a small blip in our vacation.
We highly recommend KimKim and Kelly. We will be using them again in the future.

Hien was our tour organizer and helped us design the perfect balance of sights and activities including Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, and Siem Reap. Very nice hotels, smooth transfers, and knowledgeable guides. Learned a lot about the history, culture, and day to day lives of Vietnamese and Cambodian people, including a lot of nature, historic temple ruins, some hands on experiences at small farms and communities, shows, and delicious cuisine. She also checked in by WhatsApp daily to confirm everything was running smoothly. Highly recommended if you want to maximize your travel experience!

Louise commitment to have a memorable trip in this amazing country was excellent. She done a great job booking all transportation which was my main concern. Very prompt in answering all my questions and requests. Well-deserved five stars!
Few feedback and recommendations:
- I had doubts about motels accommodations but seams that the motel 59 on Cron street at Franz Joseph was much better than Heartland hotel in Queenstown regarding facilities.
- At Franz Joseph, due to weather conditions, my heli trip was cancelled but I manage to find a driver to take me to Okarito. Was a great trip, see the beach and do the Trig walk, great views. I recommend having this option for the case another tourist facing same situation.
- The tour with Gray Line from Franz Joseph to Queenstown was split between two drivers. That was fine as was no need to transfer baggage, but the second driver was driving very fast and unsafe, even I mentioned to him that is driving very fast for a big bus he continues to do so. I was very uncomfortable and thinking even to make an official complain.
- At Milford Sound, thanks to the guide from RealNZ - Alisja, I could have a flight back to Queenstown. My wish was to have a helicopter tour on this trip, but the flight with the small plane and great pilot going around on top of the mountains can't describe how wonderful have been. :) RealNZ is a top class Tours Company! Five stars from me :)
- The tours with Cheeky Kiwi and Cheeky Kea were great, good drivers, funny and share information about areas we were passing.
- As a conclusion, the tours companies should give drivers enough time for the trips, their clients are tourists and want to stop more often in places of interest to make photos and enjoy the views.

My top two experiences are flying over the mountains and Mitai Maori cultural history experience.

As an overview I can say I had an amazing time. I'll share my experience with family and friends and hopefully I can come again.

Thank you Louise and thank you Kim Kim!

Adina Tutu.

Hotel Reviews

Bella Vista Christchurch

Christchurch

58 On Cron

Great hotel, big room, very clean, kitchen with all you need.

Location

Only 5 minutes walk from center but quite and great view of the mountains.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima Lake Rotorua

Rotorua

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima

Christchurch

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nesuto Stadium Auckland

Auckland

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

TSS Earnslaw Farm Tour & Dinner

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound Coach/Cruise/Coach inc lunch ex ZQN

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Real Rotorua - Thermal Path Tour

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Rotorua to Auckland, Hobbiton

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart New Zealand

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Transport

Glacier Valley Shuttle

Franz Josef Glacier

Quality of Experience

Mitai Maori Village

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Queenstown on Your Own

Queenstown (NZ)

Irene Lappa and her team at Travel 12 were absolutely phenomenal. We don't generally use travel agents, generally choosing to plan trips ourselves, but I couldn't be happier with our decision to work with Tavel 12. They put together an amazing itinerary. Wee did things, and stayed at hotels we never would have found on our own. They were there to support us during the entirety of the trip, including helping us reschedule and navigate changes to the wether. Thier on the trip support was at the same high, I would say unexpectedly high, level as their help planning the trip. Aside from the amazing locations and activities they meticulously found for us based on our preferences, one of our favorite parts of using this travel agency was never having to find a way to get to our destinations. No matter where we were, there was always a vehicle waiting to take us where we needed to go. We saw many another traveler spending lots of time trying to coordinate travel arrangements and we were so incredibly thankful we didn't have to worry about that at all. If you are going to Greece, I couldn't recommend more highly that you choose to work with Travel 12.

Activity Reviews

Rethymno Food Tour

Rethymno

Outstanding tour guide, this was our favorite tour of our two week trip to Greece!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Vineyard Picnic Experience

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was very well organized. All the guides and drivers showed up when they were supposed to. The guides were all very knowledgeable and personable. We spent the most time with Andres for our Playa Tayrona National Park portion of the trip. He was a great person to work with, fun, knowledgeable and polite and well organized. We had a great day hiking with him in the Park and another great day with him tubing down the Don Diego River. Our private boat trip through the Rosario Islands to snorkel was fantastic!

One aspect of Kim Kim I loved was being able to ask questions of the guide on What's App such as what to bring, when we were going to have lunch, etc. It was like having a personal guide with you all the time at your disposal.

I would highly recommend Wendy and the KIM KIM team for your travels to Colombia.

This trip was really wonderful. Margarita was excellent. She was responsive and always able to come up with plans and was extremely accommodating to our preferences and requests. The on-site representatives and drivers were great. They were on time, friendly and easy to communicate with. Of note, Camelo and Andres were absolutely wonderful, going above and beyond. Andres was extremely knowledgeable about the history and facts of Colombia. He treated us like special guests throughout our time together. The hotels and restaurants that Margarita selected were excellent quality. We'll definitely be using KimKim to plan future travel adventures. Thank you!

Our guides Volcan and Hattice were superb. History, culture, sightseeing, and cuisine were all very well explained and experienced.

We had a fantastic 10 day trip to Turkey seeing the highlights in Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus/Sirince. We loved our guide in Istanbul, Volkan, and the sights were amazing; Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Cistern, and the Bosphorous cruise. The hotel in Old Town was excellent! Cappadocia lived up to the hype with the amazing hot air balloon ride, cave frescoes, and exploring the valleys. Staying in a cave hotel was a unique experience! Our guide Hattice was excellent with our son! Ephesus was amazing and we enjoyed exploring the town of Sirince. The boutique hotel on the hillside over Sirince was so traditional and the restaurant was amazing. We enjoyed the cooking class we did with the chef!

Hotel Reviews

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

Absolutely beautiful, great location, fantastic breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Very unique boutique hotel obviously built with love and run by excellent staff. The terrace house was beautiful, and the tower house 3 room was fine, a little small for 3 people. There was a lot of work being done around the property given that it was the off season. Restaurant was amazing and the cooking class was a lot of fun! The hotel is not meant for people who don't like cobblestones or stairs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kale Konak Hotel

Such a unique experience, staff did an excellent job mitigating some cleanliness concerns in one of the rooms, rooms are dark but that is to be expected, hotel facilities are very nice (Turkish bath, terrace). Some minor flaws, nail in the wood on the bed sticking out, dogs were somewhat agressive coming in late at night, dirt from the cave ceiling falling down).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness issues caused by the cave environment

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

A must do in Istanbul.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Very authentic

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hattice was wonderful to keep Connor during the experience.

Transport

Avanos: Discovering the Ceramic Tradition and Light hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

We enjoyed the Ceramics experience; amazing work and it was fun that Connor got to try it. We did not do the hiking in the Love Valley due to timing and physical constraints.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Excellent overview of Istanbul and you hit the high points of the Old Town!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Volkan was an excellent guide!

Transport

Istanbul Archaeological Museum Tour

İstanbul

Surprisingly good for kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Flawless - must do

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sinasos: The Pearl of the East

Cappadocia

I didn't really find this worthwhile. We only visited the church and it didn't seem particularly special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Very interesting experience and the boat was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

Beautiful and great speed for my in-laws. The stop for pancakes along the river was fun.

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

Would recommend doing this earlier in the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Can't miss.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Amazing - recommend including visiting the Dark Church in the price

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Pairing Dinner at Revithia Cappadocia

Cappadocia

Very nice, only snafu was over who was paying for it, but it was worked out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport