Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 16,858 ratings
Read 16,858 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Costa Rica Adventure: Whitewater, Beaches & Volcanos - 8 Days
Costa Rica | Dec 27 - Jan 5, 2019

J
Joseph F.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 08, 2019

Our Costa Rica trip was awesome and excellently put together and organized by Randall. Everything went exactly according to plan and the quality of the guides on the various tours and activities were first class.
Everything from our pick up at the airport, to our final drop off was precisely on time and all guides and drivers spoke excellent English which made communication so much easier.
We have absolutely no issues or complaints regarding any aspect of the trip and would absolutely recommend kimkim to anyone seeking a high quality tailor made trip to an exotic destination.

Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 22, 2019

Hi Joe,

Thank you for your feedback about the trip. I am so glad that you, Tarina & Ryan have enjoyed the vacation that we organized for you and we hope this is not the last time we have the chance to welcome you in our country.

Warm regards,
Randall

Morocco Travel (with mom)
Morocco | Dec 15 - Dec 23, 2018

Myla
Myla W.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019
My mom and I did a custom 9-day tour of Morocco in December of 2018. Booking the tour, I communicated back and forth with Larbi - he was always very timely in his response and very professional.
Said, was our driver and guide for 6 days (no guide in Marrakesh) and he was wonderful! My mom and I had the best time. Said did above and beyond what he was supposed to do - even took us to some local places to eat and took me to Starbucks in Marrakech. "Thank you, Said. You are the...
Read more

My mom and I did a custom 9-day tour of Morocco in December of 2018. Booking the tour, I communicated back and forth with Larbi - he was always very timely in his response and very professional.
Said, was our driver and guide for 6 days (no guide in Marrakesh) and he was wonderful! My mom and I had the best time. Said did above and beyond what he was supposed to do - even took us to some local places to eat and took me to Starbucks in Marrakech. "Thank you, Said. You are the best!"
Tour started in Casablanca (Day 1) - we did not really spend a lot of time there since our flight arrived pretty late but we were able to see the mosque the next morning.
Day 2 - Chefchaouen - we loved this place - it was charming! Great place for those eye-catching Instagram photos.
Day 3 - On the way to Fes but stopped off in Meknes - a smaller version of Fes. The shopkeepers were a little more forceful about selling so I did not enjoy this place as much. Volubilis - saw Roman ruins - nice place for photos as well. Arrived in Fes at night.
Day 4 - Fes all day with a different guide. Our guide was El Hadi - he was great too! Explained the different things we were seeing. Guided us through the medina (which was confusing). Got some awesome deals on Argan oil, some scarves and pottery. Opted out of the tanneries - I knew my nose would not be able to hack it. Went to different sights as well - old city, new city, viewpoints from old watchtowers, where you can see great views of the city.
Day 5 - En route to the Desert - stopped by Erfoud (where our guide Said - a resident of the city) - took us where we could purchase trilobites for my brother. Middle Atlas mountain - we stopped by and saw Barbary monkeys on the road - fed them peanuts and gave some stray dogs some of our leftovers from breakfast. At the end of this day - we arrived in the Sahara desert - took a camel ride for an hour (our guide was Mustafa) to our camp. Great place to watch the stars. It was really cold!!! But I would rather be cold than hot, so just be prepared if you are planning on going in the winter.
Day 6 - Breakfast in the camp. Cold morning but got up early to watch the sunrise, then another hour camel ride back to meet our guide Said. Saved some of the apples from dinner and fed it to our camels. We stopped by a local market (Rissani) then went to see Todra Gorge - were able to take nice photos here. We slept in Ouarzazate (nice sleepy town).
Day 7 - Hiked up Ait Benhaddou - great scenery. Stopped off in a few places as well while en route to Marrakech. Arrived in Marrakech late afternoon.
Day 8 and 9 - My mom and I did want we do best - SHOP. We also enjoyed watching the exciting shows in the Jemaa el Fna Square.
We met Larbi in Marrakech - "Thank you for meeting with us, Larbi!"
All in all, it was an awesome "once in a lifetime experience!" - Will we do it again? YES!!! Totally worth it.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Jan 16, 2019
Hello Myla and Mom, I am very pleased that you had such a great tour in Morocco. There was both a great variety of places as well as experiences in your bespoke tour, a great result after working together to develop your ideal itinerary. Yes, Said is a very good driver and he goes out of his way to go the extra mile; I am pleased to read that he played an important part in your trip. It was very nice to meet you too in Marrakech and thanks again for your kind gifts, much appreciated. It would... Read more

Hello Myla and Mom, I am very pleased that you had such a great tour in Morocco. There was both a great variety of places as well as experiences in your bespoke tour, a great result after working together to develop your ideal itinerary. Yes, Said is a very good driver and he goes out of his way to go the extra mile; I am pleased to read that he played an important part in your trip. It was very nice to meet you too in Marrakech and thanks again for your kind gifts, much appreciated. It would be very nice if you were to make a return visit, there is so much more to see in Morocco. Kind regards, Larbi

Medellín, Zona Cafetera & Cartagena - 10 days
Colombia | Dec 24 - Dec 31, 2018

Mrudula
Mrudula D.
Brookline, MA | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019

We had a fantastic trip to Colombia over the 2018 winter holiday break. For a family of four, Nathalie Clavet helped personalize and customize our Colombia trip experience and provided a multitude of options for us to select from as we were in the planning stages. While in Colombia, Nathalie and her colleague, Mathilde, took care of us, checking in and were available to help us with any additional questions. Thank you Nathalie! My family and I really had a memorable time in Colombia and we can't wait to visit again!

Local specialist: Nathalie Clavel
Nathalie
Nathalie Clavel
Local specialist in Colombia | Replied on Jan 14, 2019

Hi Mrudula, thank you for your feedback!
It was my pleasure to plan the trip with you, I am glad you had a great time in Medellín and Jardín for the end of the year.
I hope you will come back and visit Colombia again in the future! They are lots of wonderful regions to discover in the country.
Happy New year and best wishes for 2019!

Family trip
Colombia | Dec 22 - Dec 30, 2018

E
ezra s.
Miami, FL | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019

A very good trip. Tatiana and Pablo were great guides and we all enjoyed the places we were at. Favorites were Bogota and Salento. Great food and lots of fun.
Just a few hiccups, not unexpected in South America.
Some suggestions for future travelers around Christmastime.
Do Salento on the 24th and Christmas Day. Everything is open there.
Do the coffee farm in Salento on one of the days instead of Cocondo. Too many bugs at Cocondo. We all got eaten up despite the repellent.
Don't do Medellin on the 24th. Everything is closed.
Thanks.
Ezra

Local specialist: Will Osolinsky

Patagonia Backpacking
Chile | Dec 28 - Jan 3, 2019

G
Geena U.
Los Alamitos, CA | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019

Emily and Erin were SO helpful throughout the entire process. It was a trip of a lifetime, and we couldn’t have done it without them. Highly recommend this trip and KimKim to anyone looking for adventure!

Local specialist: Erin Wiley
Erin
Erin Wiley
Local specialist in Puerto Natales & Pucon, Chile | Replied on Jan 08, 2019

Thank you, Geena!

I am so happy that we could be a part in making a trip of a lifetime happen for you. Thank you for for everything and cheers to adventure :)

4 days private trip
Bolivia | Dec 22 - Dec 25, 2018

Yifan
Yifan L.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019

It was an amazing trip and exceeded my expectation! Despite I was there during the dry season so it was a pity that I did not see the beautiful reflection, I saw the breathtaking flamingo and Red Lagoon and I took many amazing photos. Andrea is an excellent guide, and she is very friendly and informative. I would say she is a huge plus for our trip. All the accommodations we had for the four days were great, and the food they provided either by hotels or our guide was delicious. I really feel I mad either right decision by choosing Kimkim.

Local specialist: Milenka Omireis
Milenka
Milenka Omireis
Local specialist in La Paz - Bolivia | Replied on Jan 07, 2019

Hola Yifan & Zhiyuan,

Thank you very much for your review, we are so glad you enjoyed your time with us, and if you return to Bolivia it will be a pleasure to assist you.

Saludos!

5 Days in Morocco: 4 Itinerary Options
Morocco | Dec 30 - Jan 5, 2019

J
jaclyn m.
Albania | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019
Our driver, Driss, was fantastic. I can't say enough good things about him, however, since we did not use kimkim to book our accomodation, there were a few issues getting to our hostels. I sent our flight and accommodation itinerary for the entire trip to kimkim prior to our arrival but our driver was not given any of this information. I listed check in and out dates, addresses and phone numbers, so I assumed that directions to locations would be figured out in advance. Again, I do not... Read more

Our driver, Driss, was fantastic. I can't say enough good things about him, however, since we did not use kimkim to book our accomodation, there were a few issues getting to our hostels. I sent our flight and accommodation itinerary for the entire trip to kimkim prior to our arrival but our driver was not given any of this information. I listed check in and out dates, addresses and phone numbers, so I assumed that directions to locations would be figured out in advance. Again, I do not believe this is the fault of our driver, but rather a miscommunication on kimkims part. I found the online itinerary a bit misleading. It says "explore the maze like city with a local guide" in Fes. Yet kimkim provided no guide so we used a guide from our hostel (that we had to pay for). We needed to be at our hostel in Merzouga by 4pm to start our camel trek yet this info wasn't sent to our driver so we didn't make it until 5. We were very lucky that our hostel waited for us but they weren't happy about it. It says that you'll visit Rissani for a local market and donkey parking lot, which we didn't see. It then says you'll take "a river walk through the Todra Gorge." Most of the things advertised are really just quick photo stops. There was a lot of driving and the majority of the day was spent in the car. I don't believe this was made clear through the itinerary. And I believe if we had known this we would have planned our days differently. We very much enjoyed all of the places we stayed but would have appreciated more communication/organization from kimkim. This was our first time using a tour company. We paid $800 for a driver. Having a driver was a huge advantage compared to taking the bus, but I felt like there was a bit of false advertising when it came to the rest of the itinerary. Overall I'm very happy we had Driss as our driver and that we used a tour service because we only had a short time in Morocco. After our trip I'm left with the question of whether or not hiring our own driver would have been a cheaper option since we didn't feel as fufilled by the other things kimkim advertised.

Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Jan 09, 2019
Hey Jaclyn, Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review about your recent trip to Morocco.
We are extremely disappointed to hear that many elements were disappointing to say the least. We take all comments seriously and use it to improve our quality services.
The detailed itinerary was given to our driver who was supposed to respect all the details mentioned on it, we briefed him that all the visits should be done as prevue and as confirmed to you. We have briefed the... Read more

Hey Jaclyn,

Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review about your recent trip to Morocco.
We are extremely disappointed to hear that many elements were disappointing to say the least. We take all comments seriously and use it to improve our quality services.

The detailed itinerary was given to our driver who was supposed to respect all the details mentioned on it, we briefed him that all the visits should be done as prevue and as confirmed to you.

We have briefed the driver concerning the hotels locations and departure times to be checked with you on spot then decide together when and where to drive, but it seems this didn't happen, this concerns mainly the departure time to the desert which should have been set together to avoid any inconvenices like what happened.

We take great care to make sure that the included activities are made. You mentioned Rissani market and the walk in Todra gorge didn't happen, the driver seems to have not respected the rules and we’re actively concerned about this issue which will be discussed with our transport supplier right away.

It seems also that there is a problem with loading PDF files on Kimkim as we didn't receive any hotels list and flights data via Kimkim as i already informed you when asking to send the flights info by e-mail instead of Kimkim application.

I Have provided you with my whatsapp number and asked you to send a quick message if you needed any help or if something goes wrong with you during the trip, this would have helped a lot avoiding things like this, myself I spoke to Driss during the tour and he told me that everything is running well.

Regarding the visits of Fes and Marrakech, please have a look into our last exchanged messages, it was clearly mentioned that both visits are not included and that you would need to hire a local guide at own arrangement with the help of your driver/Guide.

Regarding the drive to the desert, the drivers can't really guarantee to arrive at a fixed time as it all depends on the road traffic and stops for pictures/Lunch/Toilets etc. 5/6 Days are the common duration for most of the trips from Fes to Marrakech including the Sahara desert, most of our customers are happy with the trips and we have never received any complaints concerning the driving times and duration, we will make sure that the driving times are mentioned on detailed itineraries in the future to avoid any inconveniences to the customers.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’ll make sure that this doesn’t happen again in the future. We apologize for the inconvenience once again.

Sincerely,

Abdellah.

Best of Vietnam - 14 Days
Vietnam | Dec 21 - Jan 3, 2019

K
Kristen F.
Egypt | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019
I would, and have recommended Kimkim to help plan any trip. We used them for the first time to help plan our trip to Croatia and had such a good experience we used them again for Vietnam. Victor made planning so easy, from helping with the itinerary, booking hotels and internal flights, private tours with great guides, transfers and getting our visa letters. He was always available if we had any questions while in Vietnam.
Khai was a great guide in Ho Chi Minh City and thanks to him we made...
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I would, and have recommended Kimkim to help plan any trip. We used them for the first time to help plan our trip to Croatia and had such a good experience we used them again for Vietnam. Victor made planning so easy, from helping with the itinerary, booking hotels and internal flights, private tours with great guides, transfers and getting our visa letters. He was always available if we had any questions while in Vietnam.
Khai was a great guide in Ho Chi Minh City and thanks to him we made our flights to Danang when there was a small problem at the airport with our names. The Vespa tour we went on one evening with Linda and her team was one our favorite things.
In Hoi An, we were well taken care of by our guide Than. Our hotel there, Golden Holiday, was the best and Hoi An was amazing.
Last but not least, our guide Anh in Hanoi was fantastic. She is energetic and loved telling us all sorts things about Vietnam life.
Needless to say thanks to Victor and his team we had one of the best trips we have ever taken and loved every minute of Vietnam.

Local specialist: Camellia Nguyen
Camellia
Camellia Nguyen
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Jan 09, 2019

Dear Kristen,

Thanks for taking time writing such detailed and great feedback. We are glad that you and your family were satisfied with our travel arrangments. I will definitely pass on your feedback to the team with special mention to these staff.
Vietnam is a land of great things and all we are trying is bring to our customers the insight into the best of my beautiful country. We are happy to hear you love many aspects of it.

Once again, thank you for traveling with us and hope to welcome you again on another memorable trip.

Best regards from Vietnam,
Victor.

Quito
Ecuador | Jan 1 - Jan 5, 2019

Amy
Amy P.
Panama | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019
Our trip was fantastic!!! Everyone in my family enjoyed it! The tour company, Darcar tours, that we had our driver and our tour guide through were outstanding. Super knowledgeable, patient with my kids, and very flexible. They had excellent suggestions throughout the tour to accommodate our needs, even on our arrival day when our flight was delayed. They communicated very easily with us and offered insider knowledge about every facet of Ecuador. Selfides, our chofer was excellent. He had a... Read more

Our trip was fantastic!!! Everyone in my family enjoyed it! The tour company, Darcar tours, that we had our driver and our tour guide through were outstanding. Super knowledgeable, patient with my kids, and very flexible. They had excellent suggestions throughout the tour to accommodate our needs, even on our arrival day when our flight was delayed. They communicated very easily with us and offered insider knowledge about every facet of Ecuador. Selfides, our chofer was excellent. He had a wealth of knowledge about plants, animals, foods and unique culture in Ecuador. David, our tour guide, was professional, knowledgeable, and extremely flexible and patient with our young children. He made sure to give us all of the highlights while considering their ages and our time constraints. The tour itinerary Matthias gave us was excellent and creative. We saw some really off the beaten path things including the artisans of Peguche and the cooking class. The Hacienda Pensaqui, although historical, charming, and set in a beautiful landscape, was unfortunately dirty. There was dust everywhere. The food was mediocre, and the office staff were very unorganized. Apparently, the owner passed away a year ago and is now being cared for by his family. It appears very run down which is a shame because it has such potential! We still loved our stay there due to its historical charm and familial feel, however, I think it is necessary that you be aware that it may not be what it once was. The cooking class was phenomenal!!! Chef Edwin was funny, patient, and extremely talented! My kids participated in everything and loved it!!! Termas de Papallactas was exactly as we had hoped. Relaxing, breathtaking views, and good service.

We loved our stay in the Andes Mountains of Quito and would love to return!!! I will use KImKim again for sure! It was so much less stressful and may be our new way of travel. Thanks again!!!

Local specialist:
Mathias
Mathias O.
Ecuador | Replied on Jan 08, 2019
Hi Amy, I'm glad that you and your kids enjoyed the tour, especially the cooking class, which is a real hands-on experience!
As for the Hacienda Pinsaquí, I am a bit surprised about your comments, I was there a couple of weeks ago and found it in good condition. Maybe the dust was due to refurbishments taking place currently. Maybe you can send me more information through chat? I could forward it to the Hacienda to help them improve those points.
I'm glad you liked the Termas de Papallacta...
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Hi Amy, I'm glad that you and your kids enjoyed the tour, especially the cooking class, which is a real hands-on experience!
As for the Hacienda Pinsaquí, I am a bit surprised about your comments, I was there a couple of weeks ago and found it in good condition. Maybe the dust was due to refurbishments taking place currently. Maybe you can send me more information through chat? I could forward it to the Hacienda to help them improve those points.
I'm glad you liked the Termas de Papallacta with its natural hot springs, it's a great place to spend some relaxed time after an exciting tour.

We are looking forward to having you in the future to explore the rest of this beautiful country!

The Best of Chitwan
Nepal | Dec 28 - Jan 3, 2019

L
Louisa J.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019

From the moment I ‘found’ Kripa I knew we were in safe hands. Her suggestions and recommendations were exactly what we wanted. She and her colleagues accommodated our every need-including bringing extra bags to the airport so we could repack before leaving on a domestic flight! We stayed at two beautiful places in the Chitwan, played golf in Kathmandu and finished with a fun day wizzing through the streets on the back of vespas eating momos-perfect. Thankyou Kripa.

Local specialist: Kripa Sunuwar
Kripa
Kripa Sunuwar
Local specialist in Kathmandu, Nepal | Replied on Mar 31, 2019

Hi Louisa, thank you for writing down such a lovely review about the Barahi Jungle lodge and our Vespa tour. It was a shame that I couldn't get to meet with you in person due to my health issue but I would love to meet you soon if you plan again to visit Nepal.

Best Regards,
Kripa

Andean Adventure
Ecuador | Dec 21 - Dec 26, 2018

B
Brett H.
Austin, TX | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019
After eight days in the Galapagos we enjoyed our short trip to Cotopaxi National Park. The park was beautiful with grand vistas and beautiful canyons. Frank, our guide, was knowledgeable and attentive. He provided strong support throughout the trip. Tambopaxi lodge was lovely and the food was exceptional. The southern refuge was unique with gracious staff and epic views. We have a number of really enjoyable treks. The rating was based on two reasons. 1.) Of the five planned... Read more

After eight days in the Galapagos we enjoyed our short trip to Cotopaxi National Park. The park was beautiful with grand vistas and beautiful canyons. Frank, our guide, was knowledgeable and attentive. He provided strong support throughout the trip. Tambopaxi lodge was lovely and the food was exceptional. The southern refuge was unique with gracious staff and epic views. We have a number of really enjoyable treks.

The rating was based on two reasons. 1.) Of the five planned treks we completed only two. This was due to the weather that made one of the treks impossible and two others miserable. Feedback from local guides was that this weather was expected for time of year. Understand weather can be unpredictable at altitude, but there should have been better planning to ensure we had alternative itineraries. 2.) Logistics were not ideal. Transportation was provided in a 1980s era Toyota Land Rover. Perfect for the rough roads of the national park. However, no seat belts in the back for lengthy highway trip. Both coming and going we were packed very tightly into back seat with camp staff. And on our return trip took a lengthy diversion to drop off family members. Not a huge issue, but not ideal logistics.

All in all, good experience. Enjoyed Cotopaxi National Park and would endorse Frank as a guide. Would have like to see stronger planning to maximize our stay.

Local specialist:
Mathias
Mathias O.
Ecuador | Replied on Jan 10, 2019
Hi Brett! I’m glad you enjoyed your hike in the Cotopaxi National Park. Unfortunately, the weather was quite bad during your dates, which is unusual during that time of the year, but as you say, the weather can be unpredictable, and this didn’t let you enjoy as you should have.
Despite the weather you had, Frank your trekking guide, tried his best to give you alternative activities like hiking to the glacier and visiting nearby waterfalls.
The vehicle used was typical of a mountain trekking...
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Hi Brett! I’m glad you enjoyed your hike in the Cotopaxi National Park. Unfortunately, the weather was quite bad during your dates, which is unusual during that time of the year, but as you say, the weather can be unpredictable, and this didn’t let you enjoy as you should have.
Despite the weather you had, Frank your trekking guide, tried his best to give you alternative activities like hiking to the glacier and visiting nearby waterfalls.
The vehicle used was typical of a mountain trekking tour in Ecuador and it has all the necessary permits. Furthermore, our guides drive with additional care to account for vehicle and street conditions. As for the lift the guide gave two friends on the way back to the hotel near Quito, they were dropped off directly on the way (in Sangolquí which is on the direct route to the Posada Mirolindo) and you agreed to taking them, however, given the car was already packed this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Trip to Jordan
Jordan | Dec 28 - Jan 4, 2019

M
Marija C.
Ireland | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019
Highlights: Wadi Rum, Jerash; Okay-lights: Petra, Dead Sea, the driver, the hotels; Lowlight: Aqaba. Wadi Rum was by far the main highlight of the trip that absolutely exceeded our expectations. The place is indescribably beautiful, and the Aicha Memories Luxury Camp had the best accommodation and the best food of the entire trip. Jerash was the second favourite – quite surprisingly! Azzam was an excellent, professional driver. He was particularly courteous towards the end of the trip. He... Read more

Highlights: Wadi Rum, Jerash; Okay-lights: Petra, Dead Sea, the driver, the hotels; Lowlight: Aqaba.

Wadi Rum was by far the main highlight of the trip that absolutely exceeded our expectations. The place is indescribably beautiful, and the Aicha Memories Luxury Camp had the best accommodation and the best food of the entire trip. Jerash was the second favourite – quite surprisingly!

Azzam was an excellent, professional driver. He was particularly courteous towards the end of the trip. He couldn't answer some of our questions, not sure if it was due to lack of knowledge or lack of English, but generally his service was very good. Usually we drove in complete silence, no talking or music. Azzam didn't quite follow the timings and itinerary we were given in Vamoos (e.g. we didn’t go to the Karak castle, but we went to Mount Nebo and a church in Madaba instead), perhaps for the better? I also had to remind Azzam to take us to Hejaz Railway.

Overall, we would have liked more information, particularly on things to do and things not to do, and especially when we were left alone. E.g. in Petra – what routes to take, what sights to see, which routes are more (or less) strenuous, is the ride with horses included in the ticket or not (because every Bedouin was shouting a different thing), can we trust the Bedouins to take us up to various viewpoints, how about the camel and the donkey rides, how much should we pay them, etc. I also only later found out that Petra opens earlier, so it would have been nicer to start the trip earlier to avoid the crowds or perhaps even see the sunrise.

Aqaba was a disaster. When we arrived at noon, we were too late to go on any boat trips that day, and we didn't have enough time to do the trip the following day since we had to leave at noon again. And yet snorkelling was in our itinerary, so I'm not sure how we were meant to fit it in. Worse was that we were not advised by In2Jordan that the public beach is not advisable for tourists. We were harassed at the public beach by the locals (note: we were dressed!), and even after we left the beach 10 minutes after entering, we got followed by two scary local guys for a good half an hour until we finally managed to lose them. Our hotel told us we could pay extra to enter a private beach of another hotel nearby, but with 1 hour left to sunset, it was not worth it anymore. Surely if the point was to relax by the sea, the agency should have informed us of these crucial details in advance of the trip, i.e. don’t go to the public beach, note the prices of private beaches (or, ideally, book a hotel with a private beach) and note timing of snorkelling trips while planning itinerary. Finally, leaving Aqaba for New Year’s Eve was also a bad idea, since the hotel only had a really badly organised evening with an overpriced buffet where not a single dish was nice, and we didn’t feel too safe going out in the city in the dark. So, it would have been more memorable, had we spent it in Wadi Rum.

Small note regarding Jordan Pass: I explicitly asked which pass to buy, since the Wanderer (the cheapest) covers 1 day in Petra, and the Explorer – 2 days, and we had 1 afternoon in little Petra and 1 day in “main” Petra in the itinerary. We were advised to get the Jordan Explorer pass, but we could have bought the cheapest pass since little Petra is free of charge… It’s not a huge amount of money, but still, In2Jordan / Carmen should have known better.

Regarding other hotels: the Hayat Zaman 5* hotel in Petra was very atmospheric and we expected it to be the best, but it was the only hotel in the entire trip without air conditioning or wifi in rooms. At the reception, they told us about a 24/7 pool, but the pool hadn’t been cleaned or used for months and the whole area was locked; the food was very good though. Regarding other accommodation, hotel in Madaba was very poor (looks and food wise), but the staff was lovely and helpful; the Dead Sea hotel was clearly catered for large tourist groups and generally only had bad food.

Overall it felt like the itinerary was more suited for large tour groups than a family except for the time we spent in Wadi Rum, and we missed the added value of getting that insider information by booking from a local agency as opposed to doing it ourselves. Still, we enjoyed it greatly, bar the issues I’ve mentioned above that made the trip ever to slightly more tiresome than it needed to be.

Local specialist: Carmen Scholten
Carmen
Carmen Scholten
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Jan 08, 2019

Dear Marija,

Thank you so much for your detailed review. This really helps in improving our services. It was a pleasure to create this trip with you and I'll take on your notes on the trip for next customers to come.

Thank you again for traveling with In2Jordan!!

Carmen

Family trip to Oaxaca
Mexico | Dec 23 - Jan 3, 2019

M
Mark B.
Skokie, IL | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019

Everyghing that KimKim helped coordinate, including guides, was excellent. Jorge, our KimKim agent really helped make this a perfect family vacation.

Local specialist: Jorge Reyna
Jorge
Jorge Reyna
Local specialist in Playa del Carmen | Replied on Jan 09, 2019

Hola Mark,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and for visiting our beautiful country. We glad to hear you had such a great trip and the guides meet up your expectations. Wish you the best on future trips!

Best Regards,

Jorge & Totonal Team

3 weeks in Patagonia
Argentina | Sep 26 - Oct 17, 2018

R
Richard F.
New York, NY | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019

Erin is excellent. She was incredibly helpful while planning our time in Patagonia, and was always available to answer any questions. While in our trip, she went above and beyond to make sure we were set (we forgot our immigration papers while in a national park, and she coordinated getting them to us). You couldn't be in better hands.

Local specialist: Erin Wiley
Erin
Erin Wiley
Local specialist in Puerto Natales & Pucon, Chile | Replied on Jan 08, 2019

Oh thank you both so much! Working with Rich and Steph was such a pleasure as they are so kind, patient and understanding. I am so happy that the two of you had such a memorable trip and if you ever want to come back we would love to have you :)

Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Nepal | Dec 16 - Dec 28, 2018

Melvin
Melvin N.
Singapore | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2019
I did a Poon Hill + Annapurna Sanctuary trek, travelling alone (besides my guide and porter). Incidentally, this was my first trekking experience. Prior to my trip, Ngima was very prompt in helping me craft (and re-craft a couple of times) an itinerary that suited what I wanted, as well as answering any queries I might have. He helped made planning for my trip as stress-free as it could possibly get, while still retaining autonomy over my plans.
A typical day on the trek involved walking...
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I did a Poon Hill + Annapurna Sanctuary trek, travelling alone (besides my guide and porter). Incidentally, this was my first trekking experience. Prior to my trip, Ngima was very prompt in helping me craft (and re-craft a couple of times) an itinerary that suited what I wanted, as well as answering any queries I might have. He helped made planning for my trip as stress-free as it could possibly get, while still retaining autonomy over my plans.
A typical day on the trek involved walking (that is, climbing up and down) through varied scenery, from lush bamboo forests to mountain-flanked snowfields, stopping for a leisurely mid-morning tea and lunch along the way. Most days, we reached our resting lodge for the night by around 3pm, and the rest of the day was spent relaxing, reading, chatting with fellow travellers, all over a pot of brewed tea. It is worth pointing out that I went in winter, meaning the flowers are not in bloom, but, in my opinion, that is more than made up for by the fact that there is a smaller crowd on the trails and in the lodges. The visual highlights of the trek are undoubtedly the 7000s-8000s giants, whether they be shyly peeking out from behind lesser mountains (or hills, as they call them in Nepal), laid out in a stunning vista at Poonhill, or subsequently transformed into a panoramic amphitheatre at Annapurna Base Camp. For an urbanite like me, the chance to slow down one’s pace, escape from the bustle and grind – not to mention digital spam – of city life, and just live in the moment, all the while soaking in nature, was incredibly rejuvenating.
Credit must also go to my guide Pemba and my porter Pasang, who attended to my every need – voiced or otherwise (requests for extra blankets, tea and meal orders etc). Importantly, I did not once felt rushed, Pemba encouraging me to take my time, set my own pace and just enjoy the journey. (Too many trekkers seemed to forget to do just that, too focussed as they were on the endpoint.) Pemba has also been very helpful in customising the itinerary on the fly based on the pace we were making. Besides all these, through the chats we had, and their easy-going, quick-to-laugh nature, I felt I had experienced a bit of Nepali culture and Sherpa warmth and good cheer. Pemba and Pasang have grown to be friends to me, whom I hope to trek with again in future.

Local specialist: Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Ngima
Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Local specialist in Kathmandu | Replied on Jan 08, 2019

Hi Melvin,
Thank you so much for writing a wonderful review. I am glad to hear that you had a wonderful time and you are happy with the services provided by our staffs during your stay in Nepal. I will look forward to seeing you soon for your next trip to Nepal in near future.

Best regards,
NMMT family.

Nicaragua
Nicaragua | Dec 19 - Dec 31, 2018

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KENNETH R.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2019
My trip to Nicaragua was outstanding and in large part due to Lucia. She was perfect from my initial research into Nicaragua until my last day of the trip. I told her how many days I wanted to travel, the things I like to do and the accommodations I prefer. She sent me a very detailed itinerary and it was everything I wanted to do. Her communication was clear and she always answered my emails right away. Once I got to Nicaragua - everything was always easy. Drivers were always on... Read more

My trip to Nicaragua was outstanding and in large part due to Lucia. She was perfect from my initial research into Nicaragua until my last day of the trip. I told her how many days I wanted to travel, the things I like to do and the accommodations I prefer. She sent me a very detailed itinerary and it was everything I wanted to do. Her communication was clear and she always answered my emails right away. Once I got to Nicaragua - everything was always easy. Drivers were always on time, tour guides were knowledgeable and each guided tour was fascinating. I spent time in León, Granada, Ometepe Island and San Juan del Sur - always getting a safe ride from place to place. My guides for each on of the adventures all spoke English and were a wealth of information about the culture, history, flora and fauna of Nicaragua. I hiked up Madera Volcano and lost my guide on the way down (totally my fault - I went ahead and took a wrong turn) - I called Lucia from the trail, have her my google map pin of where I was (her idea) and eventually got back with my guide. She was on top of everything and it made my trip to Nicaragua one I will never forget.

Local specialist: Lucía Barrios
Lucía
Lucía Barrios
Local specialist in Managua & Panama City | Replied on Jan 14, 2019

Dear Kenneth,
Thanks for your lovely comment. We are beyond happy to confirm you had a wonderful time in Nicaragua and experienced our culture, history, flora and fauna, all in one personalized program. As well, we are more than welcome to know your feedback about our services - it helps us to keep improving.

Please feel free to contact us at any time for a future trip to Nicaragua.
All the best from Nicaragua,
Lucía

Costa Rica Adventure: Whitewater, Beaches & Volcanos - 12 Days
Costa Rica | Dec 17 - Dec 28, 2018

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Paul M.
Marshfield, MA | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2019
Trip was 12 days (month of March) for a family of four including two teenage girls. We flew in and out of Liberia and spent time in Rio Celeste, La Fortuna/Arenal, Monte Verde, Nosara and then just north of Tamarindo. Yenyi was fantastic in helping to plan the itinerary and activities from the beginning to the very end with a wonderful attention to detail. It was an interactive process and Yenyi's patience, resourcefulness and willing to answer or investigate all o four questions was a... Read more

Trip was 12 days (month of March) for a family of four including two teenage girls. We flew in and out of Liberia and spent time in Rio Celeste, La Fortuna/Arenal, Monte Verde, Nosara and then just north of Tamarindo. Yenyi was fantastic in helping to plan the itinerary and activities from the beginning to the very end with a wonderful attention to detail. It was an interactive process and Yenyi's patience, resourcefulness and willing to answer or investigate all o four questions was a wonderful asset. Our family trip was an activity packed adventure by choice that included hiking, swimming, waterfalls, rainforest, volcanoes, zip lining, jet skis, canopy bridges, white water rafting, surfing, fishing and driving Costa Rica's roads the entire way (SUV w/ 4WD required). A truly fantastic and memorable experience with most activities organized by Desafio - a first class company whose guides and staff were wonderful to interact with - highly recommend both Desafio and kimkim for planning your next visit to CR.

Local specialist: Yenyi Fu
Yenyi
Yenyi Fu
Local specialist in California | Replied on Jan 25, 2019

Thanks for trusting us with your trip. Let us know the next time you are traveling anywhere in the world, and we would be happy to help you with your trip planning.

10 Days in Ecuador: 5 Suggested Itineraries
Ecuador | Dec 24 - Jan 4, 2019

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Roopa K.
Los Altos, CA | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2019
Our first trip to Ecuador was breath-taking to say the least. Galapagos has been on my bucket list for a long time and it was an exhilarating experience. Every island we visited was different and unique. It was impossible to get bored on the islands. Places like Los Tunales, the beach on Isabela island, and the ride on "Windrose" yacht are permanently etched in my memory. Our trip was for 12 days, including 2 days for traveling. We spent 4 days in mainland Ecuador and 6 on Galapagos. In... Read more

Our first trip to Ecuador was breath-taking to say the least. Galapagos has been on my bucket list for a long time and it was an exhilarating experience. Every island we visited was different and unique. It was impossible to get bored on the islands. Places like Los Tunales, the beach on Isabela island, and the ride on "Windrose" yacht are permanently etched in my memory.

Our trip was for 12 days, including 2 days for traveling. We spent 4 days in mainland Ecuador and 6 on Galapagos. In retrospect, we would have spent at least 1 day less in mainland and more time on Galapagos. Historical Quito, Mitad Del Mundo, Otavalo and Cotopaxi were good places to visit on mainland. Ideally, I would have loved more time in Otavalo instead of visiting some local waterfalls. Even Cuicocha lagoon was hyped up as a lake with active volcanic bubbles, but it was a major let down. All the places we visited on Galapagos were wonderful and given more time, we would have loved to visit more islands. The speed boat ride from Puerto Ayora to Isabela island was the bumpiest ride ever and there was not a single person on the boat who didn't come out without a queasy stomach. FYI, a one-way ferry ride costs $30 and lasts 2.5 hours. A plane trip costs $135 and lasts 30 mins. In the large scheme of things, we might have just selected the plane trip instead of enduring the bumpiest boat ride of our lives.

Linda was extremely informative and knowledgeable about Ecuador. She was great at setting our expectations and answering our questions promptly. Our local guides were a collective mix. Jorge (George), our guide on land, was great, but provided info that was less engaging for the kids. On Galapagos, our guide to Los Tunales, Sebastian, stole the show. He was patient, funny and knew a lot about the local area and habitats. While snorkeling, he ensured we all saw the key pieces without rushing . He walked with my mom, who is 72 years old, at her pace guiding her on the rocks etc. Overall, a great experience with him. All the other guides were decent.

As a group of 9, finding hotel rooms together was a big challenge. In most places, we didn't have rooms near each other. They were almost always on different floors, which was a logistical headache. In Quito, our hotel, Cruz Loma, didn't have elevators and it was painful to trudge up 4 flights of stairs with suitcases. Unfortunately, they didn't offer help with our luggage nor did they heed our request for rooms on lower floors. The hotels on Galapagos islands were normal 3-star places. Nothing too fancy to write about. Again, no elevators, but the staff helped our with our stuff. Breakfast was included for all our days, but 10 days of eating nothing but eggs, bread, yogurt and juice got too tiring. I wish they would provide a bit more variety, even if we had to pay for it.

Overall, this was a once in a lifetime trip and one that we will recall for many years to come. Thanks to Linda and Kimkim for helping us with this vacation !

Local specialist:
Linda
Linda S.
Ecuador | Replied on Jan 09, 2019
Hi Roopa and Lakshmi, I am very happy to hear that you will recall your trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for many years to come, it was a pleasure to help you organize it! I apologize for any inconveniences with your hotels. Unfortunately, most of the smaller, 3-star hotels here in Ecuador don't have elevators (due to logistic reasons, especially on Galapagos). Thanks a lot for letting me know about the circumstances in Hotel Cruz Loma, I will get in touch with them.
It is great...
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Hi Roopa and Lakshmi,

I am very happy to hear that you will recall your trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for many years to come, it was a pleasure to help you organize it!

I apologize for any inconveniences with your hotels. Unfortunately, most of the smaller, 3-star hotels here in Ecuador don't have elevators (due to logistic reasons, especially on Galapagos). Thanks a lot for letting me know about the circumstances in Hotel Cruz Loma, I will get in touch with them.
It is great to hear though that you have enjoyed the different excursions on Galapagos as well as on mainland Ecuador and that the guides provided interesting and helpful information as well as personal assistance.

I wish you all the best for future travels and hope to welcome you again one day in Ecuador!

Family Christmas
Mexico | Dec 24 - Dec 31, 2018

Susie
Susie G.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2019
We booked a week long trip to San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato through Totonal Viajes (via KimKim) and were so pleased with the attention to detail and positive experience throughout -- from our friendly airport transfer to our exclusive tours with Maria in San Miguel de Allende, and with Susana and Antonio in Guanajuato. Jorge, our agent, did a wonderful job of accommodating our group during a very busy travel time. Our hotels were perfectly located, and our local experiences were all... Read more

We booked a week long trip to San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato through Totonal Viajes (via KimKim) and were so pleased with the attention to detail and positive experience throughout -- from our friendly airport transfer to our exclusive tours with Maria in San Miguel de Allende, and with Susana and Antonio in Guanajuato.

Jorge, our agent, did a wonderful job of accommodating our group during a very busy travel time. Our hotels were perfectly located, and our local experiences were all so well curated. It's clear we were dealing with someone who knows how to share the magic of travel and Mexico's culture with visitors! And Jorge stayed in touch during our trip, checking in via WhatsApp. I would definitely book with Totonal Viajes on KimKim again.

Local specialist: Jorge Reyna
Jorge
Jorge Reyna
Local specialist in Playa del Carmen | Replied on Jan 09, 2019

Dear Susie,

Thank you very much for your kind words about our guides and drivers. It was a pleasure to organize your trip to Mexico and it is important for us to give you good services so you can enjoy the beauty of this amazing country. Once again, thank you for traveling with us and hope to welcome you again on another memorable trip.

Happy Travels
Jorge & Totonal Viajes Team

Jordan
Jordan | Dec 25 - Jan 1, 2019

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Nathalie L.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2019
Jamileh was our guide and we loved her. She offered information and insight that we couldn’t have found in a book. Jamileh let us set the pace when walking, but made sure we saw everything we were promised.
Our driver Hassan was so nice and helpful too. We definitely could not have driven in Jordan, having a driver was a must!
The country of Jordan was beautiful, the natural landscapes were breathtaking. The ruins and sites we visited were truly “once in a lifetime “ moments.
Raisa was...
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Jamileh was our guide and we loved her. She offered information and insight that we couldn’t have found in a book. Jamileh let us set the pace when walking, but made sure we saw everything we were promised.
Our driver Hassan was so nice and helpful too. We definitely could not have driven in Jordan, having a driver was a must!
The country of Jordan was beautiful, the natural landscapes were breathtaking. The ruins and sites we visited were truly “once in a lifetime “ moments.
Raisa was great to work with, she answered my questions promptly and provided reassurance about our trip.
We loved our trip to Jordan!
Nathalie Leifermann

Local specialist: Raísa Jorge
Raísa
Raísa Jorge
Local specialist in Amman | Replied on Jan 08, 2019

Hi Nathalie,

It was our pleasure to host you and your family.
There is much more to explore. We hope to see you again in our beautiful country.

Happy Travels!

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