Kimkim Trip Reviews

Excellent trip planning and execution by KimKim. Adam and Jessica communicated effectively and organized all elements of the trip with superb professionalism and responsiveness. Once in Costa Rica, the tour guides were all very well informed and knowledgeable across all locations with transfers, volcano hikes, ocean kayaks and nature tours. Brittany was also of superb help in accommodating last minute modifications. Kudos to the KimKim team we had a great experience and would engage them all over again.

Terry was my initial guide) but Liz Neal replaced her. I liked the set up financing for the payment for 5 monthly payments. Liz gets all the compliments as Terry could not take care of that billing. Liz gets all the credit.

All suggested tours were accepted as Liz was the specialist and I had little to know or what to Expect.
Liz did an amazing job and treated me superbly. Melbourne we loved the breakfast at Batman's Hill on Collins 3.5 star. for the hotel though small rooms. Best breakfast bar none. Vegemite, rasch bacon, many fruits oatmeal. Delicious. Phillip Island was a 5 star tour for us. Those Blue Penguins were so cute and the dinner included was good for a tourist venue. On the way to the island we visited a reserve for injured wildlife and saw our first up close Kangaroo, Wallabys, Koalas and Sooty Owls.
Monday Day 4 we picked up the AVIS rental and I got a Toyota Corolla Hybrid the we enjoyed. I drive a Prius so it was a good fit. We stopped At Warragul on the way. Tuesday Day 4-5 stayed at Bellevue on the Lakes at Lakes Entrance. A nice motel but the breakfast was closed for something private. We discovered Woolworths that day. Woolworths was a 5 and Dime when I was a kid. Shocking to see a nice grocery store. We ate at Nicks restaurant and Sodafish locally. Sodafish would be a 4 star and Nicks was very busy Asia food. 5 star for Nicks. Day 6 Gipsey Point Lakeside which is
spacious and had a functioning kitchen. Amazing views for sunset, birds, Rainbow Lorikeets, Parrotts, Wallabys, Kangaroos as the owner feeds the birds and allows the others to eat his grass. Appreciated the beauty around and the animals. The owner got us a reservation for the Gipsey Point Lodge dinner. the dinner was great 4 star. Day 7 Central Tilba ate at the Sweetwater bar and grill. One of the best hamburger for the whole trip. Slices of BBQ brisket with cole slaw. Delicious & 4 star. Visisted the Tilba Creamer tried different cheeses so delightful. that night at Tilba Tilba lake House. Beautiful grounds. 4 star. Was missing hand towels or paper towels to wash dishes. We had dish soap but no way to dry the dished easily so we gave up a clean hand towel. Sunset walk outside was beatiful. 4 Star accomodation. Day 9-10 Paperbark camp two nights 5 star glamping. Shower, toilet and comfy bed. "sugar glider unit". Best part was Gunyah the restaurant. Zinzi and Loreen were working there and very nice girls from Netherlands. Best salads ever and great food 5 Star for Gunyah and the restaurant. Gunyah would be a 6 Star if there was such a rating. We hit Nelson Beach and it was great. Huskisson as highly interesting. My spouse got Mango gelato. She was happy. Good time had by all. Breakfast was good as well and we got a packed lunch. Our Daily schedule said Pepperbark Camp but they have Paperbark trees there so it is Paperbark Camp. Day 10,11,12 & 13 we stayed at Ibis Central Sydney. this Ibis would be a 4 Star as we enjoyed the central position and we could do our laundry with $2 Aussie coins as they had laundromat huge Washier and Dryers. Chin Chin Asian across the street from Ibis is a 5 star food restaurant. We were seated at the bar watching all the action as the cooks worked so quickly and everything was perfect. AEA Tour was 4 star by Paul was fun. He did the south Harbor area. He had been a guide a long time. Sydney Opera House 5 Star was fascinating. I knew the opera house had been around a while but since 1973. Heartbreaking to hear the Architect Utson did not get to finish the project. AEA Dain 5 star tour for the blue mountains. So beautiful. Fog stole a chance to see the 3 sisters but natures does her own thing. Dain was so knowledgeable. Wed 15th was the maritime Museum (Australian National) which is a 5 star. Met Emily(oceanographer) who is from Twisp, Washington the county next to where I grew up and met curator Agatha the conservationist. We had no idea we had a private behind the scenes tour. We spent 10AM through 4pm at the museum and we left when they closed the door. It was fabulous. So much to enjoy. LIZ you did a good thing with that tour. We appreciate it. That night we walked back toward the Ibis and were tired and hungry. Stopped at Amarro a 4.5 star Italian restaurant. It was great. Near Hyde park on Elizabeth. Day 14 we flew Cairns Virgin Australia. Royal is a good Limo service. No problems what so ever. We gave $50 tips usually for them. Day 14-15 Bay Villa Resort Port Douglas 4 Star. Huge rooms with good kitchen and a pool. On the go both days but we slept fine and made our own breakfast (Coles food). Tour Full Day outer Reed Mackay coral Cay and Sand Cay by Sailaway 5 star easy. Nice catamaran and friendly crew and the sun was shining. I snorkled and my spouse Jan more than once with the glass bottom boat. Some of the best snorkeling along with Grand Cayman, Anse Cochon of St Lucia and Shoal Bay of British Anguilla. appreciate the rash guard suit. Beautiful fish and coral. A dream come true 5 Star. Next day was the Karanda Railway and Sky Rail. A 4.5 star venue. the old rails are shake worthy but they go slowly. We got seats going backyards but it was beautiful with Barron Falls and the tropical rainforest. Our only issue was the driver who picked us up said we were supposed to be at another pick up point but have shared that with Liz and Liz was correct as it turns out. the drive was incorrect. Day 17 Jetstar whom I do not recommend but I picked it. The charges for luggage were scandalous. Carry on luggage was higher priced than for 7 kg than the main 20kg bags. John from Royal picked us up and was very nice. 5 star. BMW has such soft big seats. My cell phone fell out of my pocket leaning back. John got it back to me within an hour. Great Service out of Royal Limo all the way around. Day 17, 18, 19 at Mantra Sun City, Surfers Paradise Beach near Southport. 5 star. they only missed on paper towels. the breakfast was not worth $20 for an American but the room was huge and had washing and dryer and kitchen. Discovered Dilmah Berry Ceylon tea there.
We did a lot of walking. March 21st Day 19 we met Christine from Eco Safaris Queensland who is a free lance guide who picked us up. We were treated to the most knowledgeable guide. She had us walking and we saw many beaches and she took us near to the New South Wales and a look back to Surfers Paradise. We had tea at the Viking by Elephant rock and after 4 hours of great information she dropped us off for lunch at the Southport Restaurant (a life saving restaurant). Christine 5 star plus -was this amazing guide and she had been born in Britain and raised in New Zealand and lived other places. She knew so much history about Australia and I was amazed. Day 20 march 22 Royale again picked us up as we traveled back to Sidney from OOL Coolangatta Virgin Australia. Spent the night resting at the Rydges Sydney Airport hotel. 4 star for us. A bit small but access to the airport. Breakfast there would have been $60 each. Nice hotel and good position for leaving the country. Day 21 we got on Fiji airways flight 910 and started the trek back.
Fiji was reliable but at LAX Alaska Air changed our direction. I was at the kiosk and my flight said Spokane from LAX and Jan's flight said Anchorage, Alaska from LAX. Neither could get us home that night March 23rd. The 737 was broken and needed fixing and as were in the air over the Pacific everyone else had changed their flights to Seattle.
We ended up both in Spokane and home at 2AM after we borrowed Jan's brother Mustang.

LIZ, this was a memorable trip and Christine's tour was a good surprise and the Maritime Museum in Sydney. Royal Limousines never let us down. The follow up on the Corolla turned in on the Sunday where all the Avis's in downtown Sidney were closed helped a lot. So many extra touches that you added to our trip. You are simply wonderful. If rating was 1 to 20 you would get a 20 star with us. Dan and Jan Slagle 3/25/23

Hotel Reviews

Pepperbark Camp

Paperbark Camp

We have the name wrong on this Glamping site. https://paperbarkcamp.com.au/ It is full of paperbark trees so really it is Paperbark camp not "Pepperbark " The restaurant Gunyah which in the Aboriginal language means a safe place to wait out a big or serious storm. the food is gourmet and different. this is glamping at its best. Graveled trails and soft bed and the canvas tent is from Africa. there are toilets and showers and a tub. LED lighting is an added benefit. Sam is the lady in charge and she is agreeable(Samantha). Loreen and zinsi are from Netherlands and delightful. Everything is so organized and one does not need bug repellent as they provide it for you. You can have tea anytime you wish pretty much. We enjoyed our two days there very much 5 Star Near Jervis Bay, Nelson Beach and Huskisson. Should be on every one's radar.

Authenticity & Character

African tent on stilts

Location

Food & ambiance of glamping

Staff

Every employee is pleasant and the food is to die for

Cleanliness & Comfort

A clean bed in a tent seems an oxymoron but they have clean sheets and service daily if you wish it.

Mantra Sun City

Surfers Paradise

this hotel is one of many Mantras. The way it it is layed out with lot's of space reminds us of a timeshare with a Washer and dryer and full kitchen. We were on the 9th floor and saw window cleaners coming down all 39 floors. Good position to Surfers Paradise Beach. I do not recommend the $20 breakfast but the rooms have so much storage. Great views. Easy walk to many restaurants. Many tea options from Dilmah.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly but not all were knowledgeable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean all over and with a kitchen

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

Not a huge room but has a great breakfast even with Vegemite. Central location for many things.

Authenticity & Character

Nice 5th floor room that has an incredible view

Location

Good location for South Bank & North Bank if the Yarro River

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Styles Sydney Central

Sydney

4.5 star. Breakfast was expensive and we had a minimum size kitchen so ate there after visiting Coles for food. Central location and there a washer/dryer on the premises that needs $2 gold colored coins. 2 for wash and 2 for dry. Bathroom was really odd. The door hits the toilet and the shower sticks out and one hits the corner ( small bathroom).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Few dishes

Activity Reviews

Morning Private Hidden Gems & Historic Artefacts - Australian National Maritime Museum

Sydney

Got to see many things with a High End tour with Emily and Agatha behind the scenes. that was really appreciated. Was in the Museum from 10 AM to 4PM. More to see about Australian history than I could have done in one day. Fascinating and original. Stories of immigration and circumnavigation by Sailboats. Bombing of Darwin WWII Onboard a real Destroyer the Vampire. Exhibits of old sailing ships on the water. too much information but interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Melbourne City & Phillip Island Day Trip with Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Where else does one get to see Koalas and Kangaroos and Wallabys and Sooty Owls and Dingos and Eagles along with a penguin parade? the Penguin parade is worth the trip and yet one gets the animal shelter for survivors of the 2019 fires. We even fed young Wallabys as $3 donation gets them some of their favorite foods. Penguins are a major thing in North America it would never be seen. OZ all is possible!

Quality of Experience

Penguins in parade is impossible for an American to see

Food

Tourism restaurant was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

alex was great

Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Much forest beauty and saw 3 kangaroos hopping and running in the wild. Many wonderful lookouts to see great distances. Dain was a master with information and details.

Quality of Experience

Food

Hydro Majestic food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Best coral and colored differently fish. Sand Cay visited also + a glass bottom boat. Sea plants were amazing. One wears a "rash guard" to prevent stings with jelly fish. Also friendly crew with an expert on board

Quality of Experience

Variety and warm coloful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Expert on the catamaran

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Beautiful and huge and lots of history. 1 hour tour is not long enough but it is a working Opera house and houses more than Opera.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Kuranda Rail & Skyrail - Gold Class

Australia

Skyrail above the rainforest with great views & Barron Falls. Kuranda Railway back. We had a gold ticket which is car 8 with almonds, cheese & crackers and wine and beer and juices. One stop for photos. Make sure one faces forward to get best photos on the railroad.

Quality of Experience

Unique venue

Guides, Drivers and Staff

1 issue with driver

Transport

Beauty of it all

Full Day Outer Reef Mackay Coral Cay

Port Douglas

We traveled by Catamaran out to the reef. We were within 300 meters from the reefs edge. One knows the reef is there as big waves come in and are minimized by the reef. Coral of many colors and a plethora of fish.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good lunch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long time out and back

Welcome to the Gold Coast

Gold Coast

Much knowledge given. Life saving club with teenagers that move up the ranks. Waves are big at Surfers Paradise. Can swell to 2 million people on a holiday

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Much traffic let the experts drive

Our trip to Morocco was conceived as a way to visit our nephew, who is currently serving in the Peace Core. Initially we considered planning the trip ourselves - but soon realized we could not confidently decide on which cities and sites to visit, let alone which accommodations in what neighborhoods, how to navigate and get around in each location or the whole country for that matter! With an eight day window to see and learn as much as we could about this fascinating and mysterious culture my wife started looking for travel websites that specialize in tailored solutions and luckily stumbled upon KimKim. What a game changer!
Within minutes of her first inquiry -confidence and excitement replaced ALL of our confusion and anxieties.

From the first conversation, Ali was friendly, patient and helpful, describing multiple options in multiple combinations and all directions -north, south, east and west, coast, desert, mountains, etc., this country has it all! He described many exciting excursions and experiences, all in organized and thoughtful detail. We were flying in with my wife's brother and his wife from Paris with the idea that we would meet up with their son in Fez near his "Peace Core" assignment. Ali was even happy to secure separate arrangements for our nephew to be picked up in his small village and brought to our hotel in the city.

Upon arriving at the airport, the unique culture, the architecture, the sounds and even the fragrant air was apparent and intoxicating - this was going to be an adventure!
Starting on the right foot KimKim assigned to us the always smiling and exceedingly kind and respectful "Mohamad" as our permanent driver (and new friend) for our entire 8 day romp. This young man would turn out to be our constant connection to this vast country -an incredible ambassador to Morocco and it's sense of values and welcoming spirit. After clearing customs, we were immediately greeted by our smiling new driver, welcomed by name in perfect English and escorted to our comfortable, gleaming new mini bus, and whisked off to our hotel in Fez.

After spending the afternoon settling in at the hotel, Mohamad picked us up and drove us to our first authentic Moroccan meal (a birthday dinner kindly arranged for by our extraordinary trip handler Said) at the beautiful rooftop restaurant "L;Amandier Palais" overlooking the Old City of Fez. It's hard to say what was more incredible - the food or the view. Either way - the stage was further set for the humbling sense of hospitality and more exciting mysteries ahead!
After a night cap at an equally beautiful, very modern boutique hotel bar (suggested by our server) we called day 1 "a very good first impression" and slept like the royalty we were being made to believe we might be! ;)

After an incredible buffet breakfast of Moroccan delights, mint tea and maybe the best plate of eggs I've ever eaten, we were greeted in the lobby by our trusted ambassador Mohamad and our new local guide to the city of Fez "Hamad".
It was immediately clear that Hamad (short for Mohamad) knew his city (and by all appearances, everyone who lived there) very well! with the help of our driver, He took us on a whirlwind tour around the outskirts and towering walls of the entire city, helping to orient us to this vast and beautiful ancient metropolis. He shared his fond impressions of his King and the palace walls and gates that dominate much of the architecture you see immediately outside the Old City and medina. Though, once inside the walls is where the real excitement begins. The medina was unlike anything a humble Westerner like myself might have imagined. The narrow alleys and passageways are almost indescribable. Averaging maybe 8-10 feet wide at most, under 2-4 stories of walls, windows and other structure - lined with shop, after shop, after shop, then another alley to the left, then another secret route to the right, all filled with activity, chatter, animal sounds, deals being haggled, children playing, laughter, music, tv's, birds flying over shoulders, and air so thick with smells good and bad you swear they're holding you up! -This maze of amazement is nearly impossible to comprehend when first encountered. Don't try too hard. It will catch up to you eventually. This experience for me was less about seeing as it was feeling. A total immersion into all things ancient, rich and mysterious. This is Morocco of old. This is history.
I won't try to describe the details of Old Fez any more than I have as I believe (like life) we will all experience those details very differently. I will say this: Do not be afraid. Be alert and aware as you can for the obvious reasons of not being crowded out by a passing donkey and cart, or losing your companions or guide... but don't be afraid... the smiles are warm and real. The locals know your there, and why. Let them have the dignity of sharing their culture -and maybe even a chance to share their wears with you. And yes... haggling is expected, and actually more fun than you might think... Just approach the subject as if you were trying to sell your old lawn mower to your neighbor! i.e - don't take it too seriously. Everything is inexpensive. If you paid a little too much... add the experience to boost the value! Have fun!

Moving on...
One of Ali's suggestions while planning our trip was to ride camels and spend the night in a Bedouin camp in the dunes of Merzouga (in the southeast of the country) on route to Marrakesh. Per the website photos and other reviews we all agreed this was a must and this leg did not disappoint! Though it is a long drive from Fez to Marrakesh (think California is roughly the same size as Morocco... so... San Francisco to L.A.) the country is stunning and much more diverse than any of us imagined. Leaving Fez you begin to ascend up into hills eventually becoming an alpine forest full of baboon like monkeys everywhere. Our driver stopped to give us a closer look and we were instantly approached by men and children trying to sell us bags of peanuts to feed the monkeys, when suddenly a large one snatched the bag up for sale leaving all involved cracking up and the monkey beaming with content. A short while later we stopped for a breather in a University town of Ifrane, known for its giant stone carved lion in the middle of town. Further research tells me the lion was carved by a soldier during WW2 to commemorate the last of the wild "Atlas Lions", which was shot near here in the 1920's. Mohamed proudly informed us also, that this was considered the "cleanest" city in all of Morocco. Between its alpine setting, beautiful yet austere architecture and the name of the nearby hotel (Hotel Chamonix) you would be forgiven if you thought you were stretching your legs in Switzerland.
As you then begin to descend into the desert valley you really begin to understand the vastness and diversification of this intriguing country. Flanked to the west by the snow capped Atlas Mountains, the road begins to drop into the beautiful and mysterious desert and dunes ahead. Our able driver, determined to get us to our desert camp before the sun sets succeeds with time to spare as we pull into Merzouga to meet our Bedouin hosts who will drive us deeper into the dunes and our Arabian adventure. We pile into 4x4's that will take us another 30 minutes or so deep into dunes that I never realized are so big and awe inspiring. Truly another world - past or future - hard to tell.
We arrive at the most elegant "glamping" experience you could ever imagine, with individual tents complete with king sized beds, working lights, toilets, sinks and showers. They even have USB outlets to charge your phones!
Once we settled in for a quick freshening up... we were invited to climb on board a group of large and noisy camels. Our Bedouin hosts first tied our traditional style turbans, then helped us "saddle up" atop our individual camel and walked us even deeper into the dune paradise. A little while on we dismounted (be prepared - lol!) then climbed on foot in the cool sand up the crest of the highest dune in sight to watch the sunset! Just in time to watch the day end in the most surreal setting this somewhat worldly traveler has ever witnessed. If you love any movies that have the great desert landscapes... this moment will make your life richer for living it!
Back at camp dinner is being prepared while your hosts treat you to a surprisingly very "western" list of refreshments and cocktails (with plenty of ice!) and a raging bonfire in the most romantic setting anyone could design.
Dinner does not disappoint and after, the chef comes out to join the staff for a traditional drum circle/song/chant that should not be missed.
If it's possible, the desert is even more quiet at night than you might imagine, and the stars and moonlight lay a diamond like haze over the already alien landscape that force the world (and earth) to be rethought -if only to give you any hope of remembering your normal life. I'll leave you this advice... Do not miss this. Get up in the middle of the night and step out of your tent. ...you may never get another chance at being this close to heaven.
The next morning we all slept in as if by divine intervention, and reluctantly bid farewell to our hosts and their paradise.

Another day of driving west through the mostly a barren landscape of the Dades Valley we arrive in what can best be described (correctly or not) as an Oasis. The Riad Ksar Ighnda cannot be described better I think. This hotel near our morning destination - the infamous Ait Benhaddo - is simply magnificent in its abililty to take you back to another century and mindset. Its opulence is subtle, its details simple yet breathtaking. As a songwriter in my youth and an architect by profession - I had "I wish I'd written that" moments all evening over dinner, and "I wish I'd built thats" over breakfast. Truly one of the most tasteful examples of manmade architecture and design I've ever witnessed.

Just a mile or so from the riad is the World Heritage site of Ait Benhaddo. A centuries old walled village made famous in movies like Gladiator and HBO's Game of Thrones. The village is dripping in history and is still occupied by families who's descendants have lived here for millennia. Our guide and his brother who live here as their ancestors did beamed as they shared photos of their participation as extras in both productions I mentioned. As we are all big fans of both it felt good to make such a fun (if not strangely modern) connection with these handsome men with huge movie star smiles! Movie fan or not -This is another must see in a country I'm realizing is full of them.

After saying our farewells to history we began our relatively easy 1/2 day drive to Marrakesh. "Easy" being relative depending on how you feel about heights. Driving over the Atlas Mountains is extraordinary. Having a professional driver, especially one as good and capable as our Mohamed made the experience even more breathtaking as it allowed us all to simply gawk at the awesome surroundings. That is most of us. Mohamed's spirit seemed to shine even brighter on this leg as he shared his own dreams of some day retiring with a few humble sheep in this place. As he pointed down into the valley below during a rest stop to say "that little plot would do", I sighed and thought "yeah it would". All those moments on our massive adventure covering hundreds and hundreds of miles all came down to pointing at this one magic little glade on a small terrace just above the valley floor. That would do.

What to say about Marrakesh?
We've been to Fez... so big doesn't necessarily impress anymore.
But there is something... but what is it?
Oh I know! Snakes!
Yes, SNAKES!
Every age appropriate westerner has some sense of what "exotic Marrakesh" might be... and chances are it involves some vision of hoards of people pressing through more people, surrounded by mystical sounds of magic flutes and hissing snakes. Well... we're all right! - and It's amazing!
But it is so much more.
Yes it's crazy busy and bustling in every corner of every street and alleyway. It's absolutely electric with energy and the exotic. Yet, it's also very sophisticated. Gorgeous came out of my mouth so often I began to feel I was placating my own perceptions. This place could take weeks, months or even years to truly get a handle on... but what I got immediately was this is humanity at its most revealed and mysterious at the same time. Shockingly raw in this corner... unbelievably decedent in this one... and I haven't moved an inch. If you like extremes - you're going to love this place.
Our lodgings at the Elegancia Riad Boutique were exquisitely appointed and managed. The staff appeared to be everywhere at once, every request replied to "with pleasure". Absolutely 1st class in every way.

After a great day with our city guide Henine, a young woman who expertly shared her favorite parts of the city we took another free day to shop and explore on our own. Marveling at the richness of the wears and culture just then catching up to each of us. This country happens fast. But the experiences seep in slow. So don't be surprised if your memory seems to be on delay while you visit. It's coming. In fact it's still coming to me as I write this many days after returning home and to my normal every day life.
That may be the real beauty and allure of Morocco... It's ability to take you in and give you all your brain can saturate in the moment - then secretly, quietly offer you more. Like a good mint tea... the longer you brew... the richer the flavor.

To all our new friends in Morocco... shkraan jzylaan.

Chris, Eve, Arline, John and Max
United States (Cleveland, OH and San Francisco, CA)

This was our first time using kimkim, and it worked out well. The trip was wonderful, and the activities and accommodations set up fit our family well based on our initial requests. Yuliana did a great job answering our questions and getting everything set up for us, and we just showed up and enjoyed everything!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

We really liked this hotel; the setting was amazing, with a view of Arenal out our window and wildlife all around, especially birds. The included breakfast buffet was delicious, with many options, and the staff was all friendly and took great care of us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location was excellent, the only downside was walkability to other locations, but it was easy to get transportation.

Staff

All of the staff were wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Great location near the beach and with great views out over the ocean!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Great location for our early flight out the next morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Birdwatching at Arenal Mundo Aventura Natural Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

We had a great morning looking at birds with our guide. This trip isn't a hard-core birding experience and is meant for a mixed group of birdwatchers, but we knew that ahead of time, and the guide pointed out many great birds and knew places to stop for specific species that they had pre-prepared. The guides had extra binoculars for anyone who didn't have them along.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We enjoyed this experience! Getting to see the wildlife from the water gave a whole different view and we saw some animals up close that would have been hard otherwise, including two types of owls. The food at the end was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The van driver and the river guides were all great! The folks who prepared the food at the end were also awesome!

Transport

Sky Tram, Sky Trek & Sky Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike portion was really great, our guide knew birds well and helped us find several that we were interested in. We could have spent all day on the hanging bridges looking at birds!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

This guided hike was so crowded that it wasn't our favorite. Our guide was excellent and knowledgeable about the wildlife and the park. The main trouble we had was that at every place along the trail where something was interesting to look at, there was a crowd of people and several guides, which made it hard to get in to take a look. With all of the people talking loudly, it was often hard to hear our guide to know what we were looking for up in the trees or off in the jungle. It seemed like there was a lot less wildlife than, especially birds, than there would normally be due to the sheer number and volume of the people as well. The main path is wide, which allowed the crowds to pass each other, but further on the trails get narrower, and the number of people walking along them made it hard to stop and look at any wildlife without people jostling by or asking to pass.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing. We are a family of four with 2 boys 6 and 9 planning a trip with a tight 14 day timeline to north and south vietnam and Cambodia. We wrestled with whether to choose KimKim because it is significantjy more expensive than do it yourself tour making. But after the tour I would say for our needs it as the nearly perfect solution. There was no time or frustration lost in organising details like hotels, guides and transportation. Each of the guides was nearly perfectly suited for us - they were passionate about their work and their country and understood how to adjust to the needs of kids. What we saw, who we met, what we tasted, what we learned was a life changing experience.

Our only criticism would be that some of the hotels weren’t great given how much we paid for the trip. It is true that we asked for three star but the hotels selected in Saigon in particular was not great; the picture linked suggested that the Emm hotel had a pool and it did not which is a big deal for kids in this steaming hot city of glass and cement.

I think Siem Reap was the favourite part but there were we incredible parts at every stop of the trip.

Everything was organized perfectly! This was the least stressful traveling experience I’ve ever had. Every driver showed up on time and exactly where we were supposed to meet - each tour guide so knowledgeable and happy to share their culture with us - every hotel was perfectly located in the heart of each area. Angela was more than helpful organizing all of this and checked in frequently the light our trip to ensure all was well! We would definitely recommend her and Kim Kim to anyone looking for easy and awesome travel!

Great trip!
KimKim did a great job in setting us up with a trip we didn't have to think much about, it was all taken care of for us.

I just had a dream, to go to Iceland in March and view the northern lights.

But as a full time student with a part time job, it was quite difficult to plan the specifics of the trip. A few google searches and reddit posts later, I landed on kimkim and paid the reservation amount.

That was literally all I had to do.

They literally took care of every part of my stay, experience and adventures there.

I’d definitely recommend them to all as well as my local specialist Francesca who was always patient with me regarding all my queries!

We had a wonderful trip to Patagonia with the assistance of KimKim and their rep Ana. Our 13 day trip took us through Ushuaia, El Calafate, El Chalten/Fitz Roy and W-Trek at Torres Del Paine. We had wanted to do some customized experiences, such as our own camping - and she was accommodating.
We were welcomed at the start of our trip in Buenos Aires with a welcome gift box with souvenirs, local food/snacks and wine - and also at some other later accommodations there were welcome gifts waiting for us, which was a nice touch.
We did have a couple hiccups with car transfers between locations, but Ana quickly resolved those.
As for our itinerary - I think we did as much as we could in a 13 day period. But to fully experience both the Argentina and Chile side of Patagonia one really would need an extra week, as there was a good amount of things we didn't have time to do on either side. Also with the weather being unpredictable one would want extra time, just because there may be days you can't see much - but that depends on the time of year also (we went in the fall). However this bucket list trip was epic nonetheless and we will treasure the memories forever.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Madero

Buenos Aires

Upscale hotel with welcoming staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hostería América

Ushuaia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria Senderos

El Chalten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Canelos Hostería

El Calafate

Smaller rooms than our stays in Ushuaia and El Chalten which was odd given this is a larger city than those two, but otherwise beautiful hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Refugio Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Esmeralda Lagoon Trek & Lunch

Ushuaia

Gable Island and Penguin Colony with Harberton Ranch

Ushuaia

Laguna de los Tres Trek

El Chaltén

Estancia Cristina Discovery Trek

El Calafate

Wow! What an amazing trip our family had in Costa Rica! I want to first thank Jean Carlo for providing us with the best itinerary. We wanted to have an adventurous week and he delivered beyond our expectations! He was always available for suggestions and answered all our questions and concerns immediately. He stayed in touch with us from day 1 up until we landed at home. JC you exceeded our expectations! Well done my friend! Now, let's talk about Costa Rica! I have never experienced a trip like this with so many moving parts in just a weeks time! I was amazed to say the least, how everyone involved was so extremely organized! It was very impressive to say the least! Not one leg of our trip was late, delayed, or canceled. We hopped around to a different town every 2 days and it was amazing how well organized everyone was. From vans, buses, boats & more vans! Well Done! All the hotel staff, drivers, restaurant staff was so pleasant, accommodating and nice! Some of the worlds nicest people in Costa Rica! Shout out to Gabriel at La Senda. We felt like his family in just 2 days! Another shout out to Diego at Leyenda Hotel! You also did amazing job at making us feel at home and catering to all our meals! He even suggested the kitchen would prepare our fish from the fishing trip for us for dinner! And man, did the all kitchen/restaurant staff at Leyenda Hotel produce! We had the best Mahi dinner to date! Also, let's not forget the spa at Leyenda, Oblivion. You treated us to the best start of our day for a mother/daughter spa experience while the boys fished. Thank you Lawlin (excuse spelling). She was the best! And to the fishing Charter crew, you were awesome! Thanks to William who got us to back to the airport. Even though we didn't want to leave! Another fun part of the trip was white water rafting! A huge shout out to the crew and staff at Whitewater on Pacuare River from Arenal/La Fortuna. Grailin (oops spelling) you all were the best! Thanks to 💯 Aventura Nature Park for a thrilling canopy/zip lining experience! What a thrill!!!! And the hikes for our nighttime walk and day hike to hanging bridges in Monteverde, cloud forest . We ended our trip at Leyenda Hotel and visited one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! What an amazing 2 days at Carillo beach. How pristine and beautiful! Thank you everyone that made our week so special and I apologize for not mentioning everyone's name! We loved visiting the countryside of Costa Rica! It was so clean and beautiful with the nicest people! You truly live by your words- Pura Vida! We are so blessed to have experienced it with you! Pura Vida!! The Wulf Family, NC

Hotel Reviews

Leyenda Boutique Hotel and Spa

Hojancha Guanacaste

Thank you for an amazing stay at your beautiful hotel! Such a special place! The grounds were beautiful! Shout out to Diego, restaurant staff & Lawlin, at the spa! You and the hotel staff are amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Thank you for an amazing stay! The hotel staff is amazing!! What a beautiful place and awesome views of the volcano!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Thank you for an amazing stay! You have a very special place! Thank you Gabriel for making us feel like family! You and all the staff were amazing! Pura Vida!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Walk

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Rafting Trip on the Río Pacuare

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fishing at Samara

Sámara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was super smooth and when we had a cancellation (because of weather), Michael was super responsive and helpful. We had a fabulous time.

We very much enjoyed our time hiking in Chingaza. It was not on our original wish list and yet was maybe our favorite part. The guides were very helpful. We loved meeting the local guide and his family (and dogs). The area was beautiful. I was a little disappointed to not make it to the lake but the altitude was a challenge!

Our favorite accommodation was the Senda Watapuy in the Tayrona area. I could have spent a day just lounging and enjoying the birds and plants and beauty of the place. The accommodations themselves were also super comfortable. I would have loved to know what else to explore in that area.

All of our guides were great - personable and knowledgeable and also they were often able to provide restaurant recommendations that were delicious. We ate well!

Abdellah, Said, Ali, and the best SAMIR, our driver!!! All were so accommodating!! Samir really took care of us and went out of his way to comfort us.

Amazing trip. Sallam is an incredible driver with an even better sense of humor. A true joy.

We started off at the Al Hassan Mosque 🕌 in Casablanca, and just when you thought things couldn’t get more memorable, they did. Our first night was in the blue city of Chefchouaen. Our family of 4 (teenagers) loved exploring this Medina in the evening. We were surprised though of all the garbage and the smell of cat pee. If you can beyond that, the experience and vistas are incredible. We stayed at the Dar Jasmine, which was a hike up, but the views were definitely worth it from the top. We loved the food in Meknes. This was probably one of our favourites when our amazing driver, Faisal, took us to the restaurant in the palace to eat. One dish that MUST be tried is the ‘Pastille’. Our kids actually ate the vegetables when they normally turn those down. My husbands favourite was touring the ruins of Volubilis . This is definitely worth the stop on the way to Fes. Our experience with eating with a local Fes family was likely one of the more highlights of our trip. They had us dancing and gave us traditional clothes to try on. It was such a fun and special evening; one we will never forget. We very much enjoyed our guide, Mohammed, who took us through the labyrinth maze of the Fes Medina. This was my daughter’s favourite part of the trip. Mohammed was so knowledgeable and taught us so much, in addition to bringing us right into the heart and soul of Morocco. One of the biggest highlights for my son would have to be riding a camel and ATV’ing at the famous sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. He loved the adventure. We had an excellent guide, Ali, who took us around to some of the Berber villages. I will never forget seeing a 2 week old camel and getting to kick a soccer ball around with some beautiful kids. Essouria had such a relaxed feel: it was here that we had some family down time and we really appreciated it. We found the food to be overpriced , especially the fish, but we loved the ocean vibe and the Medina which wasn’t so overwhelming. Finally, Marrakech we had so much fun and laughs. We loved the energy of this city and we really enjoyed our guide, Hannad who showed us so many things. Our ryad , Palais Sebban, has an amazing outdoor lounge/ swimming/ eating area where you could just relax with the family. We did not like our bedroom. It was small and smelled it our kids had an amazing room which made up for the lacking of ours.

Amazing trip in Jordan! excellent organisation of the trip.
Our driver was always very punctual and very helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Petra Moon Hotel

Wadi Musa

Food in dinner to be improved.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Movenpick Dead Sea Spa & Resort

Sweimeh, Amman

Excellent Hotel!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shams al weibdeh hotel apartment

Amman

Very friendly staff, but I would suggest improving the cleanliness of the room and the quality of the food in the breakfast.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel

Wadi Rum, Petra

The food at dinner should definitely be improved. In a 5-star hotel there should be more choice! Excellent whirlpool!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Amman

Amman

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amman-Madaba-Mount Nebo-Karak-Petra

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amman-Jarash-Ajloun-Amman

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

RUM - FREE TIME ON YOUR OWN

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael was a font of information and a great collaborator for planning a trip with my two teenagers to Colombia. We went from Cartagena, up the coast through Tayrona National Park, to Minca, and left from Santa Marta. Michael was very attentive to details and customized the trip according to our varied interests and our budget.

We especially loved going to the market and cooking in Cartagena, and also our bicycle tour there. The jungle bungalows in Tayrona were so sweet, complete with a gemlike pool and a resident dancing parrot. Our tour of La Victoria coffee plantation, where the machines have been in use since the 1890's, was so interesting followed by a hike to the local waterfall.

We felt happy for easy transfers, nice accommodations, and most of all for the friendly, knowledgable people we were connected to along the way.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

We loved this hotel. It's a gorgeous setting with beautiful individual bungalows set along paths on the jungle hillside and a lovely blue swimming pool. Lila the dancing parrot made us laugh, and everyone who worked there couldn't have been nicer. Yummy breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

So comfortable and clean. Not a lot of hot water.

Sweet Harmony by Xarm Hotels

Minca, Magdalena

This hotel set on the hill above Minca was simple and comfortable. We were in the main building in rooms with a very nice shared patio and a gorgeous view. Going down the hillside to the river were individual bungalows. We enjoyed swimming in the river. The staff was very nice and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Ceiling fans, not AC, in our rooms, but the night was cooler than the day.

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Jorge, subbiing in for Carolina, was so knowledgable and articulate. We tried corozo juice from a street vendor and local sweets. Jorge had an easy way of conveying the history of the city through streets, statues, and architecture all the way back to the 1600's. Plus we saw a sloth and monkeys in the parks. A great afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Harold in Cartagena was great.

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

It was a gorgeous day for a boat ride, but our landing spot on a small private beach with lots of other people was a little disappointing. We each had a shaded chair, and the people working there were nice, but we were very close to everyone else and beach just so-so. Snorkeling also (an extra fee) was fine but not great. Maybe there is another destination in the Rosario Islands that is prettier and more special?

Quality of Experience

Destination spot.

Food

Authentic. Homey.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carolina was right there to pick us up and make sure we got to the right boat on time. Boat drivers were OK

Transport

Car to and from was great. Boat a little dangerous (says the one who captains day charters in our group).

Market Visit & Cooking Class

Cartagena

One of our favorite things. Good to get out of the Old City. The market is not a pretty setting, but there was a lot of activity, and our chef-teacher picked delicious items all the way through. The cooking class was on a shaded hotel room with an outdoor kitchen in Getsamani. Delicious and fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

This park is so pretty. The teenagers opted out of the hot hike, but I spotted capuchin monkeys, birds, an anteater, and sloth. My guide was very good and passionate about the area. He knew a lot about the history, the Kogi people and culture, and the nature. I swam at La Piscina. Cabo San Juan was crowded with Santa Marta daytrippers who came by boat. I had the best ceviche of the trip on the beach there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tubing on Don Diego River

Colombia

Our guide knew a lot about local history and the Tayrona people. We somehow didn't realize we had a hot, 45 minute uphill hike before we got to the river. There was a pretty little museum of artifacts at the top. The river trip guide was a very nice, but the river itself was beyond sleepy. We met other people who had gone down rivers with a bit more current. A sleepy, sunny morning on the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Farm & Village Tour

Minca

This was much more fun than we anticipated. The 130-year-old machines from England, our knowledgable guide Jamie who grew up on the farm, and learning about the process from little plant to roasted bean was so intertesting. Our hike to Marinka falls for lunch and a swim after made for a really nice afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Marta City Tour

Colombia

Our guide Al here was a bit odd. We were also worn out, but we jumped ship on this tour halfway through.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim’s team was fantastic. Great communication, prompt responses. The team helped our group plan some tours in Costa Rica, no question would use their services again. Thanks Kimkim team.

After problems with the reservations at the first hotel in Santiago, the rest of the trip went very smoothly and was a wonderful introduction to the country. Every guide and service provided was exactly on time, professional, engaging and fluent in English. It's hard to identfy one as better than another. I could not have been more pleased with the local service providers. When a glitch occurred because of the Valley of the Moon excusrion was rained out, the schedule was quickly rearranged to accommodate our needs. Every internal flight was on time and the drivers got us to the airports in plenty of time. We were never rushed. The accommodations in San Pedro and in Puerto Varas were outstanding. The hotels' food was very good so we ate most of the meals there. I recommend substituting for the RQ Stay Santa Magadena. While the location is good, the hotel room itself has numerous deficiencies.

Our entire trip to Colombia was fantastic. From the very start, all the way throughout the trip, Michael at KimKim did a fantastic job helping us plan the trip and communicating. During the trip, we had a series of amazing tourguides. In fact, we truly felt like royalty because we were treated so well.
In Medellin, our tour guide, Miguel, did an absolutely outstanding job leading us through the 'Medellin Transformation Tour'. He gave us a great experience and insights that we would never of had otherwise. We very highly recommend Miguel's Medellin Transformation tour to anyone visiting Medellin.
While we were in the beautiful Pereia / Salento region, Gustavo led us on an amazing two day tour that included bathing in volcanic hot springs, a beautiful hike to see giant Wax Palms, to a personal tour of a small coffee farm.

The people of Colombia were wonderful and we felt safe the entire time.
The bottom line is we had a great time and we highly recommend anyone interested in meeting new people and seeing the beauty of nature to visit Colombia and consider using KimKim's services to make the trip truly memorable and stress free.

Hotel Reviews

Los Patios Hostel

This hotel was centrally located to a lot of fun activities and night life. The staff were fantastic. The room was clean. The hotel and surrounding area are very welcoming and LGBTQ+ friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrazas de Salento

Terrazas de Salento, Colombia

This was truly the most amazing hotel we have ever stayed. The staff was fantastic. The building was beautiful and the view was breathtaking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tayrona Tented Lodge

This is a great hotel for value seeking travelers. It is right on the beach just a two minute walk from Consteno Beach Hostal. Two great resturants and bars are next door and the staff was very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Our tour guide, Miguel was absolutely amazing. He really took the time to explain the history and current state of the city of Medellin and the Comuna 13 district. We visited several locations with historical significance as well as had several great interactions with local artists. We could not imagine a better tour or a better tour guide. We *highly* recommend the Medellin Transformation Tour and Miguel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Rosa Hot Springs

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Peñol & Guatapé

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Cocora Valley, Coffee Farm & Salento

Salento

Gustavo was an amazing tour guide. We could not have hoped for a better experience. We highly recommend anyone visiting Colombia to consider taking this tour. If you do, ask for Gustavo, you won't be disappointed!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karenina was very helpful and responsive to our various changes, but the biggest takeaway I have is that six days are not enough for a visit to Portugal, with Porto in particular needing at least four days. That was our limitation, not hers, but when we come back, we will allow enough time for a proper visit. In Lisbon, the first day tour was comprehensive but a bit of a forced march to cover everything - we reached our daily step goal on the tour alone. Our guide for the Sintra side trip on the second day was great and very charming, making sure that we experienced everything from the 19th century palace to the westernmost point in Europe as well as the port of Caiscas. We took it a bit easier on the third day, visiting the flea market but managing to get on the ferry to Barreiro rather than Cacilhas. (A little more guidance on the Lisbon ferry terminals would have been helpful. Also, the suggestions for street markets should take into account the actual days of the visit.) We managed to find a decent seafood restaurant, where we ordered our fish by pointing at the dorade, a definitely non touristico place. The transit to Porto was excellent. We were too tired to visit the university but we had a good time with an outdoor lunch. Our guide to the Douro Valley was outstanding, making sure that we experienced everything, and his choice of a winery turned out to be inspired, with a home cooked meal to accompany the four wines that we tasted and great company and talk. We were fortunate on the last day to have the owner of the tour company guide us, as she was beyond exuberant and was a whole lot of fun for us both. The transfer back was fine and the airport hotel perfectly located for our early morning flight. All in all, one of our best vacations.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Foodie Experience

Lisbon

The guide was excellent and the choice of restaurants very good

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

We had just completed a two week group tour of Morocco, so we were a little tired of touring, but the guide kept us moving and we saw a great deal of the central part of Lisbon.

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

The evening was okay but a bit commercial, like being on a cruise ship tour.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The guide was great and helpful through out the day, getting us to three excellent spots with time on our own to enjoy each.

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

The drive/guide was excellent but we were running out of steam after having been on the road and touring for almost three weeks, but we did enjoy our lunch and wandering the down town area.

A Timeless Experience: Vintage Car Ride & Wine Tasting

Porto

I was doubtful about being a spectacle in the car, but both the drive and our guide, the latter the owner of the tour company, made the whole visit a fun time.

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

The drive/guide was outstanding in making sure that we experienced the Douro Valley, and his choice of a winery was excellent.