Kimkim Trip Reviews

Silviu set us up with great road bikes and some great routes for our self guided biking week.. Romanian drivers drive fast and with aggression, so the quieter routes were much more enjoyable. With hindsight we would have requested that Silviu keep us off extended rides on major highways with no shoulder, as riding those roads can be frightening and dangerous. Silviu’s selected hotels and guest houses were excellent, as were his restaurant recommendations which we requested. We would have liked to see more detail in our itinerary for restaurants, points of interest, rest spots, etc.
Silviu also set up a driving week for us. Again excellent lodgings and restaurant recommendations, when requested. We rented the car ourselves, through a major international rental agency, and were shocked to learn at pick up that an international drivers licence was required. We were able to switch last minute to a local rental agency that didn’t required the international licence, which was a godsend, although our vehicle was smaller and cost more.
Romania is a very interesting country to visit, with many buildings and fortifications, dating from the 15th century, which blend seamlessly into modern life. Food is excellent, as is wine and beer, and all very reasonably priced. We highly recommend Romania, and Transylvania in particular, as a great place to visit.

There were so many memories made that we will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries do uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies as well. We will be making at home “lemon juice with mint” this Australian summer, now that we the traditional recipe!

The time that we spent with Farris, our Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum, was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. He was just amazing! Floating in the Dead Sea was also a remarkable experience.

We could not have been happier with the arrangements made for us by Lena at KimKim and we will tell all of our friends that are thinking of travels to Jordan and middle-eastern countries to contact Lena first!

Stuart & Fiona
Australia

We enjoyed our trip around Greece and the arrangements made by Travel12 were top notch. We normally make all our own arrangements but decided to try KimKim because we could customize our itinerary and let KimKim make all the detailed arrangements. It turned out to be a very good combination. The hotel locations were centrally located which we like, and the tours were all very good. The transfers to/from the airports were very convenient. That’s something we have never arranged on our own and we really appreciated the time and stress it eliminated.

The photo tour in Athens was outstanding with Spyros from Athens Insiders. I’m an amateur photographer and he helped me with several tips to improve my skills. He also took us to very interesting locations in the Plaka neighborhood that we would never have found on our own.
The food tours in Athens and Santorini were both very good. The one in Athens was more about the history of Greek food and the one in Santorini was more about their wine history. I must say we had our first and last taste of Greek coffee, but it was worth the experience.

An unexpected highlight was the small fishing village of Galaxidi near Delphi. We had a wonderful seafood dinner where the waiter said that the “fish was swimming this morning”. Thank you Tasos for booking us in Galaxidi rather than tourist filled Delphi.

We did have a couple of disappointing experiences. I think the tour company in Meteora had forgotten about us. The clerk at the hotel had to call them and they said there was a miscommunication about the starting time. The tour itself was very good, it just started an hour late. The hotel accommodation in Nafplio was on the top floor with 3 long flights of stairs that proved to be a challenge for us since we are in our 70’s. The room had very low loft pitched ceilings that made it uncomfortable to move around. However, the location was great.

Eva and i have discussed our feedback and she will be writing a more detailed review, but I just want to add my Complete satisfaction with KimKim and specifically with Miha and Katia.
Our accommodations were so well located and their suggestions enhanced our trip.
We were very pleased and will definitively consider KimKim for future trips.

The itinerary was just perfect.. well done preeti/Michele. Thanks a lot

Our family trip to Spain was very memorable. Sam and his team were top notch and provided us with everything that we needed from hotels to transportation to specialized guides for all the things that we were interested in seeing and experiencing. They put such a personal touch on every step of the way. Each day they had us dialed in for exclusive experiences; and the tickets were Pre-paid so that we were able to go right into some of the worlds greatest attractions like last sagrada Familia and the Picasso museum. Additionally Sam’s assistant Rocio was most helpful. She was only a phone call away the whole time and had our backs in anything that we needed, including a last minute massage.

From the very first phone call I could tell that Sam was a very special man. He interviewed me and took to heart all the things that I had requested for my family to experience in our trip to Spain. Every detail was covered and he truly has a gift for taking what’s in your heart for traveling and turning it into reality. All of the guides along the way that he had hired and set up were spectacular. They were totally professional and experts in many types of languages, historical references, and local traditions.

We had the opportunity to see five different cities in Spain within the span of 13 days. We went to Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Rhonda, and Seville. In each city there were special touches and awesome opportunities to see the best of what they had to offer. Sam‘s team even provided us with a book of suggestions for things to do, restaurants, and local hotspots. Additionally all of the transportation was included. On the first day we arrived on our trip to Spain, we were given a packet with all of the information we needed. In the packet we received tickets for train and air travel, a book that laid out each day of our trip in detail, and they even included some special gifts handcrafted by local artisans.

This was the most thorough, reasonable, worry free, informational, and smooth traveling experience that I have ever had. Thanks to Sam and his team we fall in love with Spain and we can’t wait to come back.

Anne was integral in helping me plan my husband and I's first trip to Peru. She was wonderful in giving different options that fit our interests and budget. It was so great to have drivers and guides pick us up from the airport and transport us to our next destination and all of of it went seamlessly. We loved the beautiful landscapes, Peruvian cuisine and the lovely people. Cusco was a magical place to spend time in and we will not forget our Amazon experience. Even when I was sick Anne was able to find a place efficiently that helped me feel better quickly. Thanks Anne again for putting this awesome trip together!

The best review I could give is to say that when I do my next Italian Holiday I’m going to get KimKim to organise it for me again. We had the most amazing, stress-free holiday I could ever have imagined. Thank you so much Matthew for your amazing attention to detail and the clarity of all of the documentation; worth every penny. The hotels were really well located and made getting around so easy. The care that we were given made our Italian adventure a trip of a lifetime. We felt very spoilt.

Brahim was splendid in helping us organize our trip. Particularly helpful was the tipping guide, that served as our bible throughout the trip. I am glad that he strongly recommended the camel ride in the desert. May I say that we were happy to have missed the sunset ride. Rising at 5 am and seeing the amazing starts, and enjoying the peace and quiet of early morning; plus, having a private ride of just we two with Mustafa our camel driver was amazing, and by far my favorite moment in the trip.

Our driver, Amine, was wonderful. He was particularly accessible to me, as I speak French, and we became closer when I discovered this. He was helpful and went out of his way to keep us in the loop and lend us a hand at the end of the trip.

Our nature and city guide in Chefchouan, Mohammed, was excellent. Very knowledgeable of the region and solicitous of us all along the way.

Our guide in Fés, Hamed (?) was very good as well. Particularly so when helping us understand bargaining in the souks. We had good discussions with him about the history of the people in this area

Marrakech was interesting - our guide was helpful in getting us into the different sites, but I would have preferred him standing in line ( over an hour) in the mausoleum there, and letting us watch the video of the restauration. We only got to see a bit of that, as we'd spent so much time waiting in line. Again, he was very knowledgeable. By this time we were very tired of the souks, and cut that part short.

Finally, our Berber guide and host was very nice. We were a bit surprised that we did not actually eat with the family. But we were happy, at least, to have been introduced to them.

I understand that the stops at the different cooperatives are meant to break up the long days of driving. However, I feel that the guides /driver did not make it clear whether we should be bargaining or not at the cooperatives. In the souks, it was clear, that bargaining was what was happening. I think it would be helpful to clarify how one pays in cooperatives a bit with the clients.

We loved our hotels with the exception of the Ouarzazate hotel (Riad Bouche d'Or) The room we had smelled of the sewer, and the bed we had to share was very small. Most of the time our rooms had twin beds that were very comfortable. All the hotels were charmingly decorated, but the Chefchouan Riad (Dar Meziana) was just gorgeous, and the Marrakech hotel (Riad l'Heure d'Eté) so comfortable, and the staff there the most helpful of all we encountered.

This was altogether an amazing trip. All hotel accommodations were excellent and well-situated for our needs and stays were well-allocated. Katja met us in Ljublijana and made sure we understood the tip itinerary and provided us with maps, catamaran tickets, etc. Sedja was an excellent guide for Zagreb, providing us with thorough details of the city to fully enjoy all the city had to offer. After picking up our car, we drove to Ljubljana where we met Katja. We had chosen to do the food tour with Tjasa who provided us with a range of restaurants to truly appreciate the cuisine of Slovenia. We would have liked more time in the city, a real highlight of our trip, and probably should have arranged for a city tour to fully appreciate all that the city had to offer. (Next time!!).

Our next stop, Lake Bled, was memorable for the hike to Vintgar Gorge. Also enjoyed an excellent dinner at Penzion Berc. After an exciting drive over the Vrsic Pass, we stopped to hike although that was a challenge given the tremendous crowds on a beautiful autumn weekend. We were unable to park at switchback "24", but found nice hiking at "22".

On to Kobarid where we had an absolutely amazing dinner with paired wines at Hiso Franco. Truly a great experience and not nearly as expensive as such a fine dinner would cost in the States or in Europe for that matter.

Then on to Rovinj, stopping at the incredible Skocjan Caves, an awesome experience. The hotel Monte Mjulini was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, we had rainy weather, but with good rain gear, we enjoyed the town. (The dinner at this hotel was disappointing but the champagne breakfast made up for that experience.) Would love to return to this hotel in the future.

Our next stop was the hilltowns but we could only stop at Groznan as the weather really caved before getting to Motovan. In torrential rains, we drove to Plitvice Lakes National Park but were blessed with very good weather the next day for our walks in the park. We started out very early and had the park almost to ourselves the first two hours. What a gorgeous park this is, another highlight!! After 5 hours of hiking, we set out for Split, Loved our hotel in the middle of the town!! Although crowded during the day, we got up early to take our snapshots of this most interesting town with quite some history!! We perhaps should have taken a guide, but here and there, we listened to other presentations for a few minutes, enabling us to view interesting places.

After giving up our car, we took the catamaran to Hvar, also a lovely town. As we had ample time, we took the bus to Stari Grad in addition to our most enjoyable 11/12 mile hike (and swims!!) on the coast to Milna (as suggested). We also visited the Huljic Winery where we had an excellent dinner but were somewhat disappointed in not seeing the winery itself. We did, however, understand that we were there at harvest time with little time for tourists. By the way, each and every wine in both Slovenia and Croatia were absolutely incredible!! As was the food!!

After our catamaran trip to Dubrovnik, we were introduced to the city by Ivo, our guide, who gave us a thorough orientation to the city including its history. Excellent guide!!

So sadly our trip came to an end. Each day was highly varied and exciting. Miha did an excellent job of outlining our trips. His communication with us was excellent in planning the details of the trip. Couldn't have wished for more. The itinerary gave us lots of choices!!

The only disappointing experience of the trip was with the SIXT rental company. We had to insist that the agent in Zagreb show us exactly where our car was (would not have found it without her!!). The agent in Split was very rude when we had difficulty locating the parking lot which was not at the same place as the office. It would be helpful in the future if we had the address of the parking lot rather than the office in Split.

Thanks, again, for such a wonderful trip. I have recommended Kimkim to many other travelers.

This message is from both Leslie Dublinske and myself, Eva Wetten

Overall I was very pleased with the trip and had many pleasant experiences. Naxos was by far the highlight of the trip. It didn't have the crowds and commercialism that were present on Santorini. It was very noticeable that the residents of Naxos smiled more and seemed happier than their Santorini counterparts. On Naxos the guide who took us on the bicycle tour deserves special mention, he was outstanding. The cooking class on Naxos also deserves special mention. In Athens the guide on the photography tour went above and beyond what could ever be expected and his efforts are much appreciated. I would recommend this tour to everyone, even if they have no strong interest in photography. Finally, a constructive criticism is in order. I don't think it's in your best interests to refer customers to the Acropolis Select Suites. The facility is not up to expected standards and the food is the worst I have experienced in all my travels.

Jasmine did a great job listening to me and booking everything. The trip to Australia was beyond my expectations. I definitely will use KimKim and the services provided for all my trips that I can! The value is amazing!

Emanuela was exceptional! Couldn’t have relaxed for the trip without their help! Appreciate all the attention and assistance that was given. Picking up the car reserved for us with hotspot was so easy! We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back!

I interacted with so many people and I can't all remember their names. Everyone was very nice and helpful from Noriela, to each of the hotel crew and tour guides. We had an excellent time. I've been in many trips and the Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Iguazu falls and Rio is up there.

Thank you very much!
-Fel

Brahim invested time and effort to fully understand our requirements and put together a 3-day itinerary that took the 2 of us from Marrakech to Fes via the desert. Our driver (Adnane) spoke good English and made sure that we had everything we needed to have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Ingrid was our guide for our visit to Oslo and Bergen . Luckily my cousin and I travelled together for the most part , or we would have been quite lost .

Initially I arrived earlier than she , and somehow got to the bus for the hotel for the night , the Gardemon Airport Hotel , which was suggested by our Svalbard leader . The hotel was very nice , the food fabulous , and a wonderful walk nearby .

We next flew to Tromso and Longyearbyen for our artic adventure , which was unbelievably wonderful , except I did not see the whales that others were able to see .

We returned to Oslo and both of us were a bit nervous about the location of the hotel which in reality , could not have been easier - The Thon Opera , at Ingrid's suggestion . The restaurant was not great - expensive then closed for repairs .

Then we went to Myrdal to get the Flam train . It turned out to be easier than expected , and the ferry to Balestrand was lovely . It was nice to have the tickets paid for in advance . The hotel in Balestrand was GREAT - thank you Ingrid - then another ferry to Bergen . In the rain . I wish I had known to expect so much rain . . .

Bergen started off negatively . In the rain . Ingrid had sent maps , but they were useless . First of all , they faded in the rain , and secondly , without directions or street names . It took almost 2 hours to find the hotel , which was not great . Dark and unattractive , dining area right at the front door . We were surprised to find that a ' superior room ' was reserved for us , but it had only one bed ! We had to down grade to a room with twin beds , no view . Also dark . The hotel was not a great choice , the staff less than cordial . We would have been better off some place like the Hotel Bergen near the old wharf . We had a GREAT meal at Lyskevet ?? The inadequate directions and maps were the most frustrating part of our visit .

We returned to Oslo Thon for the night , and a dinner at a restaurant that was not great - a new one , started with an A - Atla ???

So we survived but had many frustrations .

the guide for the food tour in Athens was awesome! Andreas Morgridge
The guide for the farm tour in Mykonos was awesome as well, as was the food and the ladies that cooked. I just can't recall their names.

The wood boat tour in Santorini was good, the swim in the hot spring area of the volcano was oversold, it was cold and difficult to navigate.
Overall the wood boat tour was good and the sunset was beautiful

I would change 2 things, it is very very confusing the ports in both Santorini and Mykonos, and there is long wait and hard to get luggage on boat and find seats,etc. This should be discussed and be clear from the beginning, although I asked for the ferry instead of the plane to save money, I think if I understood the hours lost and we had a short tour, I would have chose the planes.
The second thing, on last leg of the trip, port at Rafina to the hotel, it was not a far walk, but with luggage, 6 hours of traveling , later at night and iffy location, and a bit up hill I would have preferred a transfer here.

My husband and I went on a 10 day tour of Myanmar for our honeymoon, and it was the best decision we could have made. What a beautiful country with amazing people! The whole Pure Myanmar team took extra care of us from our first contact until the end, treating us like friends.

We loved every part of the trip and were sometimes moved to tears of happiness -- some highlights being the circular train in Yangon and Shwedagon Pagoda, the elephant preservation in Kalaw, watching the sunset on U Bein bridge near Mandalay, the Pennywort Cooking Class and cruising Inle Lake during the pagoda festival.

If you are considering visiting Myanmar with Pure, you won't be disappointed. Just do it!

Thanks Anne, Cherry, Nay, Tim and Naing and our skillful drivers for an extraordinary life experience.

We had an excellent 2 week experience in Morocco. The only thing we wish we had done was to spend a day or two at a coastal town. Otherwise we saw urban, mtns, the gorges, the desert and even Chefchaouen. We started in the southern area in Marrakeck which worked out well. Turns out that the prices of items in Fez are much lower than the other areas. We were told that a lot of the linens and leather etc was made in Fez which helped to lower the prices. We resisted buying on the front end of the trip saving it for Fez which was the last few days of our trip. So the lower prices were an added perk. The tannery in Marrakech was a highlight however the Fez tannery was even better. We loved the Secret Jardin in Marrakech preferring it to the Marjorelle Garden. Fewer crowds and we were really interested in the old water system of getting water from the Atlas Mtns. Our guide, Ayoub, picked us up in Marrakech. He was a young, extremely nice fella. I appreciated his temperament and his values. He is also a musician and he shared with us his talent by showing us videos of his songs. He also shared videos of his Berber village customs associated with dancing and singing. As well as videos of similar things but from different tribes. It was a great cultural experience topped off with our arrival at the Gorge's hotel with entertainment that was very similar to the videos that Ayoub shared. Perfect timing! As we approached the desert he shifted to different music to get us in the desert grove. We were traveling with our late 20 year old boys who so appreciated that both our driver and our guide were mid 20s.
Ayoub seemed a bit inexperienced in that he needed coaching on telling us what to expect for the day. Clothing, water, money and timing in particular. He got much better as the trip progressed.
Our elder son would have appreciate more input about history. The same son, got an eye infection. Ayoub was really helpful and flexible. First taking us to a pharmacy for meds ( The meds did not help.) The next day we went to the hospital (no service) and then to a private doctor (immediate service and no payment). It took all morning to do this and still Ayoub was able to adjust the schedule so that we could still go visit a Berber household. The Berber father, Mohamed, is quite a character. He lead us on a hike in the gorge which was probably the high light of our whole Morocco experience. It was so unexpectedly beautiful and surprisingly cool. This was followed by a meal in his house. I was given a tour of the house by his wife, who did not speak one work of english, but we hugged several times, shared gifts and photos. Our group referred back to Mohamed several times as the trip progressed.
It was awkward paying for the lunch. Before we left on the trip I was of the understanding that it was included. Ayoub told us that there was a change and that dinner was included that day but not lunch. The problem was, that we did not know how much to pay him and Ayoub did not provide any guidance.
Lodging- often our lodging was upgraded and we ended up in the suite. Quite a treat!!!! We appreciated the 2 places that had swimming pools. It was a great way to cool off during the days of 100 degree temps. All of our lodging was interesting and very comfortable.
Food in Morocco was delicious. However after about 7-10 days of Tagine we were ready for some variety. Our cooking class in Fez was great. Our teacher was a grandma and did not speak a word fo english but she was a delight. She effectively demonstrated the steps and there was a translator when needed. We all really enjoyed the class and the teacher.
The highlight of the trip for our boys was sandboarding. They loved it and shared stories and videos for the rest of the trip.
Ayoub is a talented photographer. He often took my big camera to get photos of the whole family and individuals. He ran up and down lots of sand dunes to get amazing pics of us on the camels. I am the family photographer so it is a treat to have some pics of me and to have such great pics of the family.
Our driver, Jilel, was very good. Also young like Ayoub. Our older son in particular enjoyed him. He provided a contrast with Ayoub. Ayoub is from a middle Atlas Berber village. He is surprisingly progressive and has compassion for women. Jilel is from Marrakech and has already been married and divorced twice, currently has 3 girlfriends and yet, has less progressive views. He was a courteous, cautious driver but able to pass when needed on the mountainous roads. He was always on time. We suggest that he figure out how to get to the riad before he begins driving. We always got a bit lost the last few minutes of the day. He brought levity to the group which was very much appreciated.
All in all it was a GREAT trip. Wonderful memories and a great time for the whole family. We found the people to be exceptionally warm, inviting, generous and helpful. Everyone should visit Mococco!

We are so happy that KimKim connected us with Abdellah, because we have had the most wonderful experience travelling through Morocco in a private tour that he organised for us.
He was so easy to talk to, and so accommodating as he tailored the tour to suit us and our schedule.

Abdellah chose for us the most wonderful riads and hotels for us to stay in during the tour. But the most special night was our visit to the Tiziri Desert Camp in the Sahara at Merzouga. This was a magical experience that we will never forget.
He also organised local guides for us in Fès and in Marrakech who were brilliant: we learned so much from them about the history and culture of this wonderful country.

Best of all, Abdellah chose for us the perfect driver, Karim. Karim was a delight to be with every day and he was kind and patient and lots of fun. We feel we have made a new friend, he was so lovely to us and shared so much with us about his land, his family and his Berber heritage.

My wife and I sincerely thank KimKim, Abdellah and Karim for our fabulous Morocco holiday.