Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip experience in Colombia was amazing. Michael created literally the perfect itinerary. Alex our tour guide in bogota was so knowledgeable, caring, and very helpful. Our tour in Cartagena Aumerio was so passion on teaching ys all about the history in cartagena, we were able to learn so much from the city thanks to him. Rosario island was beautiful, the staff were so attending to our needs, food was delicious, we met so many great people. Our drivers were also on time. My family had an incredible time in Colombia. I definitely recommend chaska team.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Grand Park

Bogotá

Authenticity & Character

Location

I

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Islabela

We love hotel isabela. We stood in the cabin called pachera and it was absolutely perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is amazing and caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Mara

Cartagena

We love the location, we were close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa de La Vega

La Candelaria, Bogotá

I love the uniqueness of this place and the great service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rosario Islands Snorkeling & Bioluminescence

Rosario Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

The bike tour in Cartagena was perfect to learn about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Guatavita Lagoon

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

We love this tour, we learned do much about bogota. Our highlight in this tour was going to monserrat and seeing beautiful bogota from very high

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I definitely recommend Alex as a tour guide

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beatriz found us some great places to stay. A stone house in a small farming village near Portugal's national park; and in Morocco, Riad Fes was one of the nicest hotels I've been in. The drivers and guides in Morocco were all friendly and well informed.

Hotel Reviews

Oak Nature

Vieira do Minho, Portugal

Extremely half-baked. Amazing sunset views from the pool, which is also really nice. Terrible sewer gas smells in bathrooms. Cheesy construction quality. Inexplicable mistakes like ugly sponsored ice cream brand umbrellas screwed to the deck smack in the middle of the best view. No real dinner, but a major hassle to drive up and down the mountain to get to restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Cheesy modernism, poorly constructed.

Location

Amazing view from the pool. Really hard to get to and far from food. Rooms are mostly overgrown by trees and do not really have views, though the trees are pleasant. The town is on a pretty lake in a beatiful valley and near some of the park's best hikes like Poco Azul (really bonkers) but the town itself is kind of a junky crowded tourism hub.

Staff

What staff there were were really nice. There's not supposed to be dinner, but they made us snacks off hours anyway.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The place is visually clean, but they never really figured out the sewer gas stench in the bathroom, and other rooms they offered us were musty plus they try to hide the must and sewer smell with aggressive electric air fresheners.

Casa das Afonsas

Barral, Portugal

Very basic in some ways -- the stone house has almost no windows and bad flurescent lights -- but this was a surprise hit on the itinerary. It's in a super-cute town that's mostly stone houses and farming, sheep everywhere. The town cafe is a sister of the Casa das Afonsas family, super friendly, with all just locals hanging out. Pretty short drive to a part of the park where nothing is touristy at all -- the hikes are just from one tiny stone village to another, with few people around.

Authenticity & Character

Don't send people here who want luxury every night, but escaping tourisim into a beutiful landscape is its own luxury.

Location

Close to a gorgeous but totally untouristed part of the national park.

Staff

Friendly family hosting.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Zyo

Rabat

It was fine, and in a convenient location. Not extensive service and no food. Certainly nowhere near as nice as Riad Fes, though I imagine it is a lot cheaper.

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

Fine -- clean, nice bathrooms, small balcony onto courtyard. But cramped, and on an overwhelmingly touristy crowded street.

Authenticity & Character

It's pretty generic.

Location

It's really not fun to be on the single most crowded touristy street in all of Porto.

Staff

They were somewhat understaffed, and had signs everywhere trying to push breakfast attendance earlier.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fès - Relais & Châteaux

Fès

Incredible architectural details, small, personal scale, and probably the best food we had in Morocco.

Authenticity & Character

Fancy because the craftsmanship is so beautiful, not just because things are expensive

Location

Staff

Really polished service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Half-Day Guided Tour of Fes Medina

Fes

Hakim was great -- informative, happy to tailor the walk to what we cared about, knew the medina incredibly well.

Ina planned our 10 day trip of Greece that included so many attractions starting with Athens, Meteora, Delphi and island hopping of Mykonos and Santorini. Her idea of setting us up with a rental car to drive from Athens to visit Meteora and Delphi was a wonderful choice. She also offered plenty of sight seeing and dining options along the way. All the ground transfers and tours at every point was smooth. I want to give a big shout out to the ground staff who was available almost 24x7 to answer any questions we might have had. One hiccup we had was the ferry from Athens to Mykanos was canceled due to bad weather and the ground staff responded promptly to make alternate arrangements. All the hotels were neat and located close to central streets. Kimkim took the headache of detailed planning from us and we will recommend them to our friends and ourselves use them on our next Europe adventure.

Joanna, guide with our Silfra Snorkeling, Dive.IS was fun, informative and lead us through an underwater adventure. Our glacier trek with Mei was well done, he assessed the group and geared his walk accordingly. Lots of great information about our changing environment. Our kayak guide on the lagoon was really comfortable with his skills and knowledge of this area; horseback leadership, was skillful and knowledgeable of horses, the guide in the lava cave was also an expert with people and geology!

Incredible and seamless experience, we are so grateful. Rebecca provided wonderful suggestions, support, and coordination - and is so lovely. We have already recommended her to several friends and family.

Hotel Review

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Perfect location. Wonderful staff. Amazing breakfast. Comfortable and spacious rooms and bed. Luxurious shower. Super clean. Would recommend!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chania - Street Stories of Chania Tour

Greece

Manos was a wonderful guide who made our intro to Chania so welcoming. He was so accommodating, patient, took the best photos, and made great recommendations.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - Walk, Drink, Eat Sunset Small Group Tour

Santorini

Kostis was a wonderful guide, we appreciated the added personal touches he included that made the evening so memorable. We really felt we learned so much about the island, the culture, food, history, and more. We really enjoyed this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Twilight Tour of Athens with Food & Drinks

Athens

Theo was an absolute delight! We thoroughly enjoyed his tour and his recommendations.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I substitute the word "Excellent" for your term "Amazing".
All things considered and relatively, our trip to Norway went extremely well. The logistics worked according to plan. The weather was very good. It was great fun. Julia was a big help with the hotels and area attractions. The few glitches we had were attended to and resolved quickly. I appreciate Julia's attentive and prompt responses to our requests. Good job!
As kimkim's role here was to find us hotels along the itinerary we designed, I am providing our comments on your recommendations which might help with other clients
Excellent (5 Stars!!): (1) The Rosvang Gaard. Otto and Albert provided a memorable experience. The lodging, the food, the hospitality and the conversation were the best of the trip. (2) Juvet Landscape Hotel: unique, rustic, great views, excellent food and accommodations.
Very Good (4 stars and in this order): (3) Hotel Christiania Oslo: Central location, large ,quiet, cool room, good breakfast and an excellent pizza restaurant on property, (4) Det Hanseatiske Hotel: Older historic building with character helped with a very accommodating staff. Our room was recently renovated being very well done and was quiet and cool. Central location was a big plus. (5) Scandic Ishavshotel is the best combination of location and facilities in Tromso. The service staff went out of their way to help us with logistics and accommodate us with our room preference. Breakfast was very good. The hotel is big and busy. Lot's of dogs (and big ones) were guests too! (6) Hamn i Senja: Location, facilities, dinner and breakfast were very good. I recommend a second floor room as other guests are constantly walking by and near to one's first floor room window. (7) DragsvikFjordhotel is 200 meters up from the ferry crossing but was very good for out in the country. We had a 2 room suite and a very good dinners on site. (8) Grand Hotel in Oslo was just that: Grand! Unfortunately, the day & night we were there the weather was hot and with little air conditioning , our street side room limited a good night's sleep. (I should have changed rooms...) Very good breakfast and location.
Not Recommended: (9) Hardanger Fjordtun. The owner/operator is a nice guy but his cabin facility was not up to our expectations. (Maybe if we were in our 30's or 40's). This is a much diminished version of the Juvet Landscape Hotel. The cabin was too small all around. For a shower, one stood in was a dish pan! The 'view' was of trees directly to the cabin's front. There is no place to eat in the area so a picnic dinner is required. He and his partner went out of their way to make us a very good breakfast.
Question: What more information could we have provided to you regarding our preferences understanding that you must balance the product with the price?....For example, what description could we have given you to have put us in the old section of the Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand?
Thanks for the help. The trip was great
Regards,
Bayard and Susan Tracy

Activity Reviews

Drive to Kristiansund over Molde (Atlantic Ocean Road)

Åndalsnes

It was a beautiful day. I think this road is better seen in a storm with the surf coming over the road. But no one is complaining about a beautiful day at the ocean.

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

This was great fun even on a rainy day. It's just amazing to see the clouds off the mountains and the farms along the shoreline.

Fjellheisen Cable Car Ticket

Tromsø

This was a good idea. It's close to the city and gives very good views of the fjord and surrounding mountains. You can watch the paragliders takeoff beside you!

First time KimKim user and will now be an evangelist. I highly recommend KimKim if you lack time to plan a trip yourself. Bryan was our local specialist, and he helped arrange an excellent introduction of Costa Rica for us, with a detailed itinerary that made our trip entirely stress free. We had a quiet trip that focused on short, guided hikes introducing us to the forests. We loved our two cities (La Fortuna and Quepos/Manuel Antonio Park), though in the future we might look for a more remote beach (we were right outside of the park, which was nice, but that part of Quepos wasn't so interesting). One of our favorite parts of the trip was getting to meet all of the different guides, who each had their own way of showing off their country. We look forward to using KimKim in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Right outside the Manuel Antonio Park entrance, and thus to the park beaches which are incredible. Couldn't be closer, or have better location. We also went to the hotel sushi restaurant and booked a couples massage at the hotel. We enjoyed both experiences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Morning Bird-Watching Hike in Arenal Mundo Aventura Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Amazing diversity of birds

Quality of Experience

Food

I think in future might have been nice to have coffee snack *before* starting (it's 530am!) and then get back for hotel breakfast after birding.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide Kenneth was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

loved this park!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was one of the most knowledgeable guides we had our entire trip; he was also weirdly an anti-Darwin evangelist for Intelligent Design, but that just added some character to the trip.

Transport

we were right next door to the park! Couldn't have better transportation.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Very interesting

Quality of Experience

The guide was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canopy Zip Lining Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Good experience, a nice view of the canopies, a bit of adrenaline for those with acrophobia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were very pleased with the service we received from Tomasz and others. You arranged for hotels and guides that fit our requests, and we had a wonderful trip. One minor matter was that on our rental car return to Sixt in Munich, we were given the address of the office for Sizt and it should have been their rental return in a nearby (but hard to get to) location. The local manager made the problem go away for us.

Hotel Review

Hotel Mercure Munich City Centre

Munich

Great location and outstanding breakfast. We received very helpful information from the front desk staff, especially Loretta. Small but cozy room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful front desk staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Nuremberg nazi party rally grounds and old town tour

Nuremberg

Natsha is a marvel. She is knowledgeable, charming and fun to be with. She cared for us well along the way and was great at both providing information and answering questions. It felt like having a good friend guide you around their city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Natasha

Tour to Wissembourg, Alsace, France

Heidelberg

We had a wonderful and memorable day in Alsace. The guide tailored the tour to our interests and adapted well when we encountered a charity run that caused plans to be changed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide with excellent communication skills.

Old town tour

Heidelberg

Our guide, a young man who was a student was knowledgeable and friendly. He gave us a great "inside information" restaurant recommendation and set us up for a wonderful visit to Heidelberg.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had fun with our youngish guide

Guided tour of Bremen

Bremen

Our guide was super and very knowledgeable. We had a fine tour. She was a native English speaker, which helps.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The title says it all. We were looking for a panorama of Brazil and boy did we get it. We saw Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Manaus and the Amazon, and Salvador, each destination better than the last. All our guides were professional and made our experience better with their behavior. They were easy to talk to and offered insight on the life of the Brazilians in each city we visited. Especially in Rio we were guided by the greatest guy, Felipe, who went above and beyond to make us feel safe and comfortable.

The destinations were all gorgeous. Rio is beautiful and surrounded by many great vantage points that offer spectacular views of the whole city. The monuments were breathtaking and the food was plentiful and delicious.

At Iguazu, all words fail to make justice to the grandeur of the waterfalls. All visitors be prepared to get wet, especially if you book a boat trip as you will find yourselves directly underneath the falls!

At Manaus, prepare to get hot! It is a very humid city, we could feel it almost as soon as we landed. But it is all worth it when you get to the Amazon forest and get to see river and the jungle. We had plenty of activities here, like fishing for piranhas, night animal watching, walking in the jungle and swimming with pink dolphins! We also had the opportunity to taste awesome local cuisine and everything was produced right there in the forest. And our guide, Antonio if memory serves right, was pretty easy going and cool.

Finally at Salvador we saw what I think is the most beautiful city of Brazil. Colorful houses and vibrant street culture bring this city to life. Capoeira dancing, African drum playing and dancing can all be seen simply by galivanting through the streets. We had some interesting activities here as well like drum and cooking lessons. Like always, the food was delicious.

Overall this was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives and we were saved a lot of hassle thanks to Meghan who handled pretty much everything before our arrival, all we had to do was discuss the trip plan and book the trip. 10/10

Hotel Reviews

Porto da Lua

Mata de Sao Joao

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tariri Amazon Lodge

Iranduba - Amazonas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Perpetua hotel d charm

Manaus

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nadai Confort Hotel

Foz do Iguacu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nobile Hotel Copacabana Design

Rio de Janeiro

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cruz do Pascoal

Salvador

The location was good but other than that it didn't offer much else. The breakfast was offered in another hotel se we had to leave to eat. The most important issue was that the room was not really clean and we woke with bug bites, possibly from some bed bug. These were not mosquito bites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room hugiene

Activity Reviews

Evening Cultural Experience in Rio Vermelho

Salvador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Art and Literature Tour of Bahia

Salvador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Salvador Market Tour, Cooking Demonstration & lunch

Salvador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bahian Percussion Workshop

Salvador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching in Praia do Forte

Praia do Forte

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

African Heritage City Tour

Salvador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest & River Tours

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazon River to Jungle Lodge & Rainforest

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day of Hiking & Cycling in Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iguaçu Falls Hike on the Argentina Side & Gran Aventura Boat Tour

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corcovado & Christ the Redeemer Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Art & Architecture Tour in Niterói

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio City Tour & Carnival Culture

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sugarloaf Mountain Walk

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was very well planned out. The itinerary was easy to follow and the WiFi device in the car was excellent. It not only helped us follow the planned routes but gave us the ability to fine other attractions and restaurants. All the excursions we booked went smoothly and were exactly what we expected. The tour guides were excellent. All the hotels were nice. Most were remote and suggestions of restaurants within 20 miles would have been helpful.

I would highly recommend kimkim to other travelers.

Joe Ditta

First and foremost in making our 13-days encircling Morocco memorable was our driver Amine! While he demonstrated expert driving skills that made us feel completely safe, he was so much more than a driver. Upon meeting, he quickly ascertained our interests, particularly in the cultural diversity of Moroccan people, and set about fulfilling and exceeding our expectations. Each day was full of unexpected adventure: from our first authentic meal of grilled meats and vegetables en route to Chefchaouen, impromptu walks through local markets where the colors of Morocco are on full display, to spontaneous detours to gaze atop the spectacular Atlas Mountains or to search for specific pottery in Safi. Amine knows his country well especially the unknown places off the beaten track and personifies the personal warmth and hospitable nature of the Moroccan people.

While there are too many memorable moments, experiences, sights, and places to capture here, some of the highlights include:
Palais Faraj in Fez where we spent 2 glorious nights in the meticulously restored Bensouda Palace in the Arab-Andalusian architectural tradition. The tile work (zelliges) with complex geometric mosaics are museum-worthy!
The hour dromedary caravan ride through the sea of sand dunes of Erg Chebbi was a not-to-be missed postcard experience! The awe of complete silence when watching the sun set over the sand dunes was only matched by the awe of sunrise the following morning.
The winding climb to the granary atop the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou provided a glimpse of how southern Moroccans lived since the 17th Century (and where a few families still reside).
No trip to Morocco would be complete without a relaxing visit to a hammam for a full body clay mask application followed by a medicinal Moroccan black soap scrub and shampoo. Total rejuvenation!
Our final meal shared with Amine in El Jadida on the gorgeous Atlantic coast was most remarkable! It first started with lentils and bread, followed by a mound of Moroccan salads garnished with fruit and herbs, and finished with an abundant platter of shrimp, calamari, sole, and marlin made-to-order for only 85 dirham (~$8.50).

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sud

Casablanca

New, modern typical Hilton Garden Inn near the Casablanca airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

Just steps within the Medina, this riad is charming with its terracotta tile floors, tadelakt plaster walls, antique wooden furniture, adobe fireplace, and huge hammam-like bathtub with rose petals carefully throughout our room. You wouldn’t even know the beach of the Atlantic Ocean is just minutes outside the walled old city.

Authenticity & Character

This riad felt like a Moroccan home—more simple and cozy.

Location

Picturesque Essaouira combined the beauty of promenade along the Atlantic Ocean juxtaposed by the winding alleys and souks of the Medina, the Portuguese fortress, and fishermen hauling in their catch of the day.

Staff

The managers were so hospitable. The simple homemade poundcakes served with the customary welcoming mint tea were the best of all.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The spacious bathroom and huge bathtub (for more than 2), the rose petals carefully placed throughout, the clever presentation of a collection of glass bottles filled with bath salts, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

72 Riad Living

Marrakech

Tasteful blend of the authentic and the current design trends.

Authenticity & Character

All of the seating areas, the high ceilings, the rooftop terrace and pool, the little design touches like a bull horn used for a towel hook and a miniature brass tagine with macarons left bedside during turn down service

Location

Within the Medina with easy access to all the shopping you could ever desire!

Staff

Particularly the man (“bell hop”) who pushed a wooden cart to transport our luggage through the narrow, winding alleys to the riad.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moroccan black soap, antique cabinet for apply storage of toiletries, crisp stark sheets on a king size bed, vaulted wood carved ceilings.

Caravane

Ouarzazate

Unexpectedly boutique. You wouldn’t expect such tasteful African-inspired decor within the plain, adobe dwelling.

Authenticity & Character

African-inspired decor using resources such as rattan, Berber rugs, adobe interior.

Location

Off the beaten track.

Staff

The two men in the reception who also served a delicious 3-course meal.

Cleanliness & Comfort

While we did have an air conditioner, we had difficulty lowering the thermostat, but a ceiling fan kept us cool during these hot summer nights in this Quarzazate region.

Luxury Camp Chebbi

Merzouga

Unbelievable beauty and serenity.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The Berber staff were knowledgeable and hospitable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The tents had all the amenities except a fan. It was over 80 degrees during the night inside the tent which made it uncomfortable to get restful sleep. Perhaps in the future, it would be helpful to recommend guests bring their own battery-operated fan.

La Petite Chefchaouen

Chefchaouene

The location inside the Medina was ideal and the breakfast plentiful. The decor was less authentic. For example, our room was named “Love” and had decorative s plaques in English such as “Love is the best ingredient.”

Authenticity & Character

Remove the English room names and plaques

Location

Inside the Medina, very close to the center square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Anfa Casablanca

Casablanca

Lovely, modern. The room had a unique design where the vanity divided the sleeping area from the huge shower and dressing area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within minutes of the spectacular minaret of Hassan II

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Faraj Suites & Spa

Fès

We upgraded our accommodation in Fez and Marrakech, but all of our accommodations were unique—well selected for comfort, generous meals, and specific location. Palais Faraj exceeded our expectations, however! It truly felt like sleeping in a museum.

Authenticity & Character

The tile work (zelliges)

Location

Situated just outside the Medina overlooking the entire city of Fez.

Staff

Being welcomed with the customary Moroccan mint tea (poured in such a manner to produce the necessary froth) and slices of cake and cookies.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was actually a suite with small chambers off the bedroom with a gorgeous alcove lined with an abundance of silk cushions.

Activity Reviews

Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

Truly unforgettable! A must-do even if you think you can’t get on and off a camel (dromedary actually). While this is definitely something only tourists do, it is well worth experiencing the sand dunes. Dinner was a scrumptious 4-course affair, albeit late in the evening. The Berber staff played instruments and sang by the camp fire under the stars beckoning guests to participate until midnight. The amenities of electricity, hot shower and flushing toilet make the overnight stay comfortable. All I would recommend is the installation of ceiling fans, if generator power permits.

Quality of Experience

Uncomfortably warm to sleep inside the tent. Understandably, it was the desert in mid-September.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Medina and Historical Sites Of Marrakesh

Marrakesh

Our guide was quite knowledgeable about Morocco in general, and Marrakech in particular. The recently restored Madrasa and Palace Bahia were impressive for their beauty and traditional craftsmanship. Everything in the Medina is a sight to see!

Quality of Experience

Marrakech was so picturesque—so many photo opportunities.

Food

It’s not only the plentiful food portions of deliciously flavored food, but also the ambience—vaulted wood carved ceilings, tiled fountains and mosaic lined walls, rooftop terraces, guitarist strumming soft music, and the multi-lingual waiters wearing traditional caftans and characteristic Fez (red felt hat with tassel).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

By staying in the Medina, we were able to walk to the many souks to shop. However, Amine provided numerous helpful recommendations and made reservations including our unforgettable hamman treatment plus massage followed by afternoon tea at the exquisite Royal Mansour Hotel where the King maintains a suite.

Transport

Amine, as always, was at our beckon call.

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fes

Fes

Walking through the winding alleys of the Medina is a step back in time. Our visit to the tannery where men toil over scraping, cleaning, drying, and dying hides was remarkable. Each souk sells fine artisan crafts including glass, brass, fabric, leather, and ceramics. But, one can purchase all sorts of produce, fruit, grains, spices, and meat (including live chicken).

Quality of Experience

Food

Fresh and plentiful typically starting with a meze of 5-6 types of salad, then a platter of couscous or tagine of beef, lamb, or chicken with seasonal vegetables and/or fruits couscous, finished with mint tea and sweet cakes and cookies. A specialty here is the pastille which is a pastry crust sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon and filled with your choice of meat. Absolutely delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hassan was very knowledgeable about all aspects of Fez’s history, art, and culture.

Transport

Amine professionally navigated the traffic and parking.

We had such a fantastic trip!! Our driver was super friendly and helpful and showed us all over Buenos Aires. He really went the extra mile to help us with our luggage and extra transfers. We were welcomed to our hotel with the nicest package and bottle of wine and goodies and an upgraded room! All our activities were super fun and well planned. Highly recommend!!

Hotel Review

Hotel Madero

Buenos Aires

Super nice hotel in a nice area of town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Palermo Food Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastian was amazing!

Transport

Overall, we were satisfied with our trip. There were a couple of small glitches but that can be expected during a 2 week holiday.

Activity Reviews

Rovinj & around

Rovinj

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day in northern Istria

Slovenia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Things turned out better than expected. Our guides were all fabulous, very knowledgeable and friendly. Laura is very sweet, we met in Bogota and took us to the Salt Mines which is impressing, among other things. Roberto in Cartagena was great, beautiful city. We had another guide that talked about Gabriel Garcia Marques who was great and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed very much our visit to Medellin with our guide Froi who was fabulous. We went to Peñol and Guatape which I personally loved the most. We also had a great experience in Comuna 13 seeing all the art, grafitis and music. The hotels selected were spectacular. The Drivers were all very nice and patient.
I used this company for the first time and will definetely use it again. They took excellent care of all the details.
My next trip will be Italy and hope it is as amasing as this one.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa San Agustín

Cartagena de Indias

Our room was HUGE, beautiful and super comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

Very nice place to get away

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Medina Four Seasons

Bogotá, Cundinamarca

Beautiful old charm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

Charming Boutique Hotel in a great location. Loved Luna, a golden retreiver.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Depart Colombia

Colombia

It is sad when it comes to an end. We made new friends and had a wonderful time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at El Cielo - Please confirm on your side

Colombia

This was really a great expirience I highly recommend!!!! Good from start to finish. We had a wine pairing and we enjoyed it very much. Place is very preaty also.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Medellín Highlights (with Local Market and Comuna 13)

Medellín

We had a great day and managed to see evan more things. It was very interesting and we enjoyed the art, the grafiti, the music and our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at OCIO / OCI.Mde

Medellín

Very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Suggested Salsa Dancing at Cafe Havana

Cartagena

too tired to go dancing

Mangrove Tour with Local Fisherman (Late afternoon)

Cartagena

Great, we went in a wooden conoe through the mangroves and saw how they fish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day City Tour of Cartagena Highlights

Cartagena

Roberto was great. He talks alot and time flies

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Candé (live music)

Cartagena

Place was crowded. It had live music and dancers. Ambiance was nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

walked

Transport

walked

Suggested Sunset Drinks at Café del Mar

Cartagena

We went too early and the sun was killing us, so we left. But it is a nice place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were not needed

Transport

no transport needed

Departure from Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

We had a big private boat just for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

Everything went smoothly. Very pleasant stay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

We rented a power boat that took us to most of the Rosario Islands. We had a great time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at LEO - Please confirm on your side

Bogotá

Here was the only dinner I did not enjoy. Super, and I mean SUPER expensive. It is an experience but I did not like hardly any of the entries. They even gave us ants as part of a dish. I asked for the pairing which I thought was wine pairing but they gave us all sorts of hard licor. I finished drunk and forgot to check if they had subtracted the amout we had to pay when we made the reservation. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} & Guatape and El Peñol Tour

Colombia

I thought I would not climb the rock but I got to the top!!!! Beautiful, Beautiful view. I loved the town of Guatape.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Mistura

Cartagena

too tired and could not make it

Gabriel García Márquez Walking Tour

Cartagena

I forgot the name of this guide but he was so good that we felt we could almost see Gabo as he would describe his life. Wonderful and recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we walked

Dinner Reservation at Humo Restaurant (Sofitel Barú Calablanca)

Isla Barú

It was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked because it is in the same hotel

Highlights of Bogotá City Tour (with Gold Museum, Local Market and Monserrate Hill)

Bogotá

A lot of walking but worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral Tour

Bogotá

It is very impresive!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

We had private tours every time which is great. We felt comfortable and secure always. We felt we were among friends all the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them were wonderful!!!!!!

Transport

There was always someone waiting for us. We did not waiste any time.

Dinner Reservation at Alma

Cartagena

We did not go due to problems in the kitchen.

Dinner Reservation at Harry Sasson

Bogotá

Food was superb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robert was an excellent support to my friend and I! We had a well planned tour of the national parks with lodging, sights, directions, and car rental effectively/efficiently completed for us! Robert checked in everyday by text or call to assure that we had what we needed. We are so grateful to have had his expertise!

We could not have asked for a better trip. Kimkim organized the perfect accommodations, sight visits and it was a breeze getting between each location. Our concierge, Alessia, was beyond amazing and helpful. We all got spoiled by the check ins, the reminders of our next steps, and the organized drivers. We will certainly be booking with KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Perfect location for sight seeing all over Rome! Room was very nice and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

What a view we had! We felt like we were in a movie with the views and accommodations. The staff was very kind and helpful every day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

This was a beautiful property and the location was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bonvecchiati Palace

Venice

Very nice and clean!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Pizza-making class

Rome

Wow! What else can I say! We learned so much from Tony and Julia. They were so welcoming, kind, and fun to work with. We learned that we make pizza all wrong in America. Everyone who goes to Rome, should experience this fun class.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sorrento Coast & Capri Boat Tour

Italy

It was beyond magical to swim in the sea not once but twice. Transportation on the island was a bit annoying at the end of the day, but this excursion will live in my memory forever.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Chianti Wine region

Florence

This was a picture perfect day. Michaela took us the back way through the region and we got to see the most beautiful sights. The wineries she selected were perfect and we enjoyed our day to the fullest.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We wanted to take Michaela with us every where else we went! She was amazing!

Transport

Wow...it is hard to write about all the amazing experiences we had without writing a novel. From the beginning Christos was curious and interested in knowing about us so he could really personalize the trip. He gave options, asked questions, got on the phone so we could work out some of the intricacies... attentive and genuinely curious...he wanted this trip to be magical. And it was! Other notes about Christos and travel12 (the on the ground support) were little touches like having our boarding passes for the following day printed at our hotels when we arrive, checking in to ask how the trip is going, and fast responses when we did have questions.

The first week of the trip was self planned. Christos coordinated a rental car and Kyros at Kosmos rental car was so easy to work with. He called me when we landed and told me exactly how to find him. It was a smooth and caring transition after a 19 hour flight. This week included Monemvasia, a full tour of the Mani peninsula, sea kayaking in Kardimyli, Mycenae, Nafplio, and so many wonderful beaches, tavernas, and new friends.

The Athens/parthenon day of the trip was interesting (hot and tiring as well but it was also August). We did the mythology tour with Eleni as a host and learned a lot, had fun seeing the sites while also learning. Christos booked us a wine tasting dinner that evening at Cinque wine bar. The wines were wonderful, the food was delicious, the parings were unique and the education about Greek wine making was fantastic. The staff were all so friendly and it was proper greek dinner (3 hours of leisurely enjoying and being with family and friends).

On to Meteora! Words lack for the absolute wonder that is Meteora. Our guide... the only one whose name I don't remember but her style and knowledge were off the charts! She was really wonderful, answered questions, gave us time where we were curious and made sure to get us to a sunset view (even skipped the crowded one and took us to a better spot). We were super hungry as the tour wrapped up so she drove us to her favorite local taverna and made sure we knew how to get to our hotel after dinner. Our hotel was sweet and a lovely picturesque spot. We were comfortable and slept so well!

Delphi...my body still feels the energy there. The tour was an evening tour which was perfect! there weren't many people, it was cooler and we had time to really take it in. We started at the museum and Marillia walked us through giving us a history lesson and answering our many questions. She was mindful to move through the museum in a way where we weren't with multiple other tours. We appreciated this for multiple reasons (covid, over stimulation, and we could actually see the pieces we were talking about). As we walked to the oracle we were really able to feel and be with the energy of the space. Marillia was also interested in the ways that energy transmits and talked about her experience of Delphi as someone who doesn't live there but goes there to work 1-2x/week. It is a place where you feel shifts in you. I had a calm and curious energy and my partner has an active/excited energy. It was really unique. The temples/ruins are stunning and the views are breathtaking. The federales hotel was a sweet little spot. The room was small but perfect for one night. the view from the balcony was amazing!

Xania was a different world. We stayed in an Airbnb in the old town center and the streets were packed with people! It was an amazing experience to walk through the town and see ruins and new buildings intermixed. The botanical gardens were absolutely amazing! We had so much fun walking through and experiencing the many plants and then a truly delicious meal. The beaches of Crete are truly unique and beautiful.

The drive from Xania to Iraklio was beautiful. We made a stop in Rythemno and then decided to keep going and find a little taverna where we could swim and get fresh fish. We were not disappointed in our stop. In Iraklio we spent a day at the castle of Knossos. Lina was a delight. She knew the rhythm of the crowds at Knossos and she moved us around the ruins so that we could really see and enjoy it fully. It was one of the most spectacular of the many ruins. I only wish we had the time to go to the other castles on Crete.

Thera...you really don't get it until you get here. Constantinos was our driver from the boat to the hotel and into Oia. He was so lovely. He told us about the geography of the area and what he fell in love with and brought him to the island. He was sweet and worked with us as we got to the hotel and had a little timing conundrum. Oia was beautiful and interesting. We were admittedly done with tourist spots at this point so we took the time to focus on gifts we wanted to get for people and enjoyed a few hours of shopping and cafes/tavernas. We watched the sunset from our hotel, Kasimatis suites. Christos did us right on this one. We were in Imerovigli, highest point, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. The waterless farming tour with Ana was an absolute highlight of the trip. She was so sweet and dedicated to what she loves. Her family, her land, and her food. She taught us about the way they do anhydrous farming. How it changes the flavors and textures of the food. And the cooking/sharing a meal portion of the day really brought the group together. Ana was really good at asking the group questions that sparked deeper conversation and created a sense of family for a day. the wineries were really interesting and the tastings were enjoyable. What I took from this day is the absolute loveliness that was Ana's love and passion.

Jit, my guide in Delhi was excellent as was driver Pushkar. I particularly enjoyed visiting Pushkar.

Hotel Reviews

Pushkar Palace

Bhattiyani Chohatta Udaipur, Rajasthan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dera Rawatsar

Jaipur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Mercure Agra

Agra, UP

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Udman Ferns N Petals

New Delhi, Delhi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trip Concludes in Delhi

New Delhi International Airport (DEL)

It is not an easy airport to navigate including access to the free WiFi so it would be helpful to add some of that practical info to future travelers

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pushkar Drive to Ajmer -Delhi (Train 1545/2240hrs) - departure (Depart by Etihad Airways EY211 on September 21, 2022 at 0445)

New Delhi International Airport (DEL)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur - Pushkar

Pushkar

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing Tour + Village jeep ride

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taj Mahal at Sunrise and Drive to Jaipur

Jaipur

Sites were beautiful. Guide was good but not very personable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra Sightseeing

Agra

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delhi Full Day Sightseeing

Delhi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative guide

Transport

Arrival Delhi

New Delhi International Airport (DEL)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jenny organized an unforgettable journey around the Golden Circle and Ring Road...waterfalls, glaciers, lava fields, craters, geothermal pools, geysers, black sand beaches, unique landscapes, wildlife (birds, sheep, horses, whales). As a bonus, we also saw the Northern Lights! We had enough activities to compensate for time in the car. Suggested points of interest and accommodations did not disappoint. I can't imagine a better experience!

Hotel Review

Skuggi Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Nice spacious rooms with fans! Staff was friendly and helpful. Breakfast options did not disappoint. Perfect location for walking Reykjavík.

Authenticity & Character

Location

walkability

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Experience

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

One of my favorite activities! Our guide was not only informative but very entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Tour

Iceland

Once in a lifetime experience - kayaking in a glacier lagoon! With seals!

Quality of Experience

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Our guide, Wei, shared interesting and useful information about the glacier.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Wei.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Golden Circle

Impressive waterfall!

Quality of Experience

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Beautiful views!

Quality of Experience

We did a 10 classic trip planned by Austin, to see as much as we could. We stayed mostly near the coast and had an amazing time! Some of our favorite spots were the Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle. The Cliff's of Moher and The Dingle Peninsula.
We started talking and planning this trip with Austin in January and visiting Ireland in September. The summer crowds had died down and we got to enjoy not being rushed or waiting in lines. We were in constant contact with Austin. At one point we added 2 nights in order to see Northern Ireland and Austin was able to adjust the entire itinerary to meet our request. We're so glad we added northern Ireland! This was an amazing trip and wonderful experience and I would love to go back someday!