Kimkim Trip Reviews

My wife and I traveled the Fjord region of Norway Aug. 31- Sept. 7, 2018. Our weather was perfect every day, we were so lucky! We began in Bergen and used a combination of public transport including ferries and buses to travel to Rosendal, Odda, Aurland, Flam, Bergen, and then used the Hurtigruten ship to travel north to Alesund for a couple of days. The whole trip was fantastic and surpassed our expectations. We enjoyed the natural scenery of the mountains and the fjords, and enjoyed some hiking as well. We hiked Trolltunga in a small guided tour group; the hike was long and difficult but the experience of doing it and the views were well worth it! We also had a great guide and met a funny guy (from Australia) in our group which made the day a lot fun too! Although it was a tough 12 miles and 12 hours, it was probably the highlight of the trip. We also did an awesome hike in Alesund that was about a half-day and much easier than TrollsTongue! It was called Sukkartoppen (SugarTop) and the views of the ocean and Alesund were perfect on a sunny, blue-skied day! We enjoyed the views of both Bergen and Alesund after walking/hiking up the hills to the lookout points. The Bergen Beer Festival was going on and we checked that out too. We enjoyed a scenic fjord cruise to Rosendal and also on the Naerofjord to Aurland as well. Kayaking the fjord in Flam was enjoyable (The weather was so nice that day we even took a quick dip in the fjord at Flam Beach!) The Flam Railway to Myrdal was very scenic and relaxing too. Our hotel accommodations were great and in great locations to make walking to things easy; they also all offered a great breakfast to start the day off. Our travel agent via KimKim Travel was Ingrid and she did an excellent job of organizing and setting the trip up. She was very thorough and detail-oriented. She was quick to respond to messages and questions in the trip planning stage. We would highly recommend her in planning travel in Norway. She will customize a trip to your interests. We have some other European destinations we would like to see, but would love to come back to Norway one day!

Absolutely loved what the Kim Kim Team offered. Professional, fun, informative tour guides that made my stay absolutely wonderful. Can't wait to go back to Bhutan and check out more.

We had a great experience planning our 9 day self drive trip around Iceland August 2018 with Kimkim. Preeti was extremely helpful and easy to work with. We appreciated her personal input and planning. We loved the places we stayed at. They were modern, clean and each had a special touch of Iceland. All our activities were well planned other than the whale watching, which was the tour facilities fault. They forgot to put our name down on their list and created few hours of delay in our schedule. Other than that glitch, we had an absolutely great time and truly enjoyed our visit. Preeti had an excellent itinerary planned for us, and we got to see all the things we wanted to see and places we wanted to go to. Thanks Preeti for all your help. Our accommodations were great.

Our trip to Iceland was excellent! Christina made a wonderful itinerary for us and the entire experience was seamless. We felt like we received a great value for the price. Thanks! LC

kimkim WowWow,

Preethi and Haldor both planned our trip and helped us along the way. They replied to all inquiries and beforw and during the trip and sent detailed instructions for access to our lodgings and activities. They arranged our rental car for trip around Iceland - all our lodgings - sightseeing itnerary - Blue lagoon (Premium Entrance) - Iceberg lagoon kayaking, glacier walk, ice climbing, ice cave trip, and Silfa snorkeling. The itinerary they set up included links to GoogleMaps navigation for our route.

All in all - I would highly recommend kimkim. They really did everything and it turned out perfectly. I would use them in the future.

Thank you Preeti and Haldor.

Mike and family.

Simon was very helpful to meet with me pre trip and make sure I understood where I was supposed to be each day. The hotels and restaurants that he selected were fantastic. I especially loved Danielle at the wine b and b. The wine experience was fantastic. Sun E bikes made the trip pretty tough. While I am certain they had the best of intentions, the person who drops off the bike needs to be trained on how to set the GPS up for success. I asked immediately how to zoom in and he wasn't able to make that happen so that I could see the roads. With in 10 minutes I was lost and when I called no one answered. I should have left a message and didn't. The rest of the day was a mess as I was continuously lost. My road book pages weren't numbered and got out of order. Even if they hadn't, once you are lost I am not sure they would have helped. The bike specialist did try to meet me at the wine tasting. he was correct that the gps was working (as in pointing the right direction and having signal, it just wasn't set up to zoom in and see roads) He was still unable to fix this but brought me paper maps. Since I couldn't sleep because I was worrying so much about my next day, I was able to change the setting myself. I'm not sure why that couldn't have been done right away, it would have saved a lot of frustration for everyone. I did appreciate the pickup on the second day when I couldn't go further after riding in rain and a thunderstorm. One thing that would have been helpful to know as well in St Remy is that according to my hotel concierge, taxi's need 2 days in advance reservation to make the 20 minute drive to the train station. I almost missed my train back to Paris due to this. Since the rating asks to describe Simon, I don't think it is fair to rate him based on Sun E bikes failure to set up the gps, overall, I would unfortunately rate the trip as a whole lower as it was really stressful.

The trip was outstandingly well prepared and the tour guide and driver were meticulous in their care and service throughout the time in Bhutan. I could not have wished for more. I felt comfortable, safe and very well looked after. Further there was good intuition about what it was we wanted to do and this was well met. Bhutan was an exciting and different place to visit. it was gentle, clean, safe and spectacular throughout the four days.

Our trip to Croatia was wonderful and it was made all the better by using KimKim. I normally never book trips through "an agency" but had heard about this site through some friends and thought why not give it a try. I worked with Ante to plan the trip and after providing a description of what we were looking for, he planned an AMAZING holiday. It really did meet all of our expectations. What I most appreciated was the constant communication and even though there were two little hiccups on our trip both times I was able to get in touch with Ante through the KimKim site and he took care of it. The nicest thing was that we actually got to meet in person at the end of the trip. All the folks that picked us up and helped us throughout the trip were amazing - Antonia in Dubrovnik, Mario in Hvar, Elena our guide to Plitvice, all of our drivers including Ivan were all lovely and made the trip more warm. Can't wait to make a return trip!

Hi Juan, Sorry I have not been able to write a review before but I came back to a great pile of work with a deadline and I don’t like to miss deadlines and then I have been in hospital for an operation on my leg. Anyway now I have some time to devote to some feedback for you. The tour was great we only have few pointers to help with improvement :
1) I think it would help all travellers to have their internal flights, times, flight numbers and booking references would be really useful. We have never done a tour before where we haven’t had those in advance of the trip.
2) It would be great if travellers attention could be drawn to last minute hotel changes. Our hotels in both Villa de Leyva and Medellin were changed and yes you did let us know but only in the small print in the tour schedule and contacts document it wasn’t on the trip plan. And some of the guides were not aware of the changes.
3) It would be good if the guides/ drivers knew where the hotel was we had 4 instances where the guides didn’t know. It all worked out in the end but it would have been easier for them all round if they had had better information or admitted they didn’t know and got more information.

Casa platypus in Bogotá was a really nice hotel,rooms were small and a little noisy but a great location and really pleasant. The guide in Bogotá and Villa de Leyva, German was very knowledgeable and good company.

The tour to Zipaquirá was excellent and the tour around Villa de Leyva was very good and had extra things added in.

The hotel in Villa de Leyva, Plazuela de San Augustin was excellent. Lovely room, great location and excellent breakfast.

The Hotel in Salento, the Salento Real was in a great location and was very pleasant with an excellent breakfast buffet. The driver from the airport, Alex was very good if a little confused as to where we were going.
The coffee tour in Salento / cocoa valley was excellent and far exceeded our expectations. Hilary was an excellent guide and made the experience both fun and interesting.
Dawhyni was an excellent guide for our walk in the coccora valley, he was very knowledgable about birds and animals and the surroundings and the walk was really lovely. He gave us excellent restaurant recommendations too.
The Hacinda Venezia was really beautiful and a wonderful place to stay. The guide to the PNN, Milton was again very knowledgable and a fantastic guide. The tour was amazing and a real highlight of the holiday.
The Hotel in Medellin was really very nice and in a really good location. The staff were very helpful although very worried about you going anywhere on your own. We were really dubious about the two tours we were doing in Medellin but they both turned out to be great. Thank you so much for your advice. Carlos Palau was quite a character and the guide who took us on the innovations tour, whose name escapes me right now, was really enthusiastic and knowledgable about architecture and social improvement.
Villa Maria in Tayrona was againa beautiful hotel with amazing food and really friendly staff. The walking trails within the hotel once you found them were really nice if a little tricky to follow and the food here was absolutely excellent.
We loved the walk with the guide Jaruen to Pueblito. He was really knowledgable about birds and history and knew some lovely secret beaches.
Hotel Alfiz in Cartegna was delightful and in an excellent location. The tour of Cartegna was really good the guide had very good historical knowledge.

Thank you very much for organising the tour and making all the suggestions that you did
Regards
Carol lewis

We had a truly amazing trip! We spent 16 days in Peru and visited Cusco, the Amazon, Lima, sacred valley and Lake Titicaca. Despite the complexity of the trip, everything was like clock-work! It was a great combination of hiking, exploring, experiencing the local culture and city visits. Nicole did a great job of staying in touch with us throughout the trip and making sure we were well taken care of. Our guides were superb! They were all very knowledgeable and friendly. Especially our sacred valley guide Rubin did an amazing job!

Thank you!
Ayca

I communicated with Tanya using KimKim. My questions were answered within 24 hours (except on weekends or her days off). The responses I received were direct, professional, respectful, and thorough. I had concerns about communicating via email, as it took more time than if I communicated by phone, but the result was as complete and satisfying as it might have been by phone.

The staff at Midgard, with no exceptions, were helpful, polite, welcoming, and responsive. Tanya actually loaned me her clothes and shoes since my luggage hadn't arrived, and I was to go on a Super Jeep tour that would include weather changes, and river walking.

The dorm rooms, bathrooms, showers, and community room were clean and modern, and the beds private - with curtains facilitating the privacy. There was room at the foot of the bed to put some personal item and locked drawers sufficient to hold everything I had - and more.

I took the Super jeep Tour to Thorsmork (please excuse my Icelandic spelling from this point on!). Clara, the guide, was a terrific story teller, and provided a varied experience, including physical activity, which I found refreshing.

The Landmannalauger tour was less interesting to me - a lot of driving, and some opportunities for photos - with a short hike and a hot springs experience. This might be more suited for people who prefer an easier tour.

Unfortunately, there were several experiences I was unable to have - a biking trip and 2 of the shorter hikes - because there were not enough people signed up. The bike I rented was unsafe, but they had others I could use - I declined, but decided to try later, and Tanya, again my hero, loaned me her bike.

I went horseback riding - a treat, and snorkeled the tectonic plate divide - also a treat. Also, "Lava" the volcano and earthquake exhibit nearby was an amazing experiential education about both.

The meals I had there were excellent.

When my friend and I decided to tour Iceland on our own, we knew we needed a bit of guidance. We found that with Zeynep. First, she is a great listner. Second, she is a great planner. Zeynep took what she heard and presented back to us a great road tour, identifying points of interest along the way. Throughout the trip, our pre-book rooms and side excursions were flawless, all of which allowed us to experience Iceland and its beauty to the fullest. Thanks to all who made this trip such a memorable one and especially to Zeynep!

We had a fantastic trip to Bhutan guided by Ut. He was such a lovely person and went out of his way to make sure everything was going well. We covered a lot of Bhutan, but it was also varied. Our homestay was a highlight of the trip getting to know a beautiful family. I would highly recommend the Kim Kim team when planning a trip to Bhutan, especially Vishal.

Tailor-made, precise, seamless and absolute comfort. These are the attributes we generally look for when booking a trip or part of the trip through someone. When we started our discussions with Brahim, right from the get go , he was attentive, understanding and even compassionate when taking down our requests and needs. A beautiful country which it is, Morocco, an experience through kimkim makes it much more enriching and fulfilling. Lastly, as all curated trips, this wont be easy on the pockets, but you get every worth of your dime !

3 nights 4 days tour Chefchaouen/Fes very well organised by Larbi the local Morocco travel specialist, he was very helpful organising transport and accommodation, the Hotel and Riad was excellent, clean rooms, good meals (dinner) the staff at both places was helpful and attentive to assist our needs, information and directions .
Our driver Mubarak was not only the driver but a tour guide as well, very knowledgeable of his country's history and places of interest for the foreigner.
His driving was always defensive, courteous and safe.
Well done KIMKIM,

Normally, I like to plan my own trips, but decided to try KimKim because I was too busy with work to research everything myself. Thanks to Ingrid, my boyfriend and I had the most wonderful and memorable 7-day whirlwind trip to Norway. As an active couple, we requested hiking, biking, kayaking and city sight-seeing (via train and ferry) all in just 1 week. Somehow, she was able to make it all happen.

I am so grateful to Ingrid for suggesting activities I might not have found on my own, like the 12-mile hike through the "Grand Canyon of Norway" in Aurland. It was the best hike of my life! The 33-mile bike ride from Finse glaciers to Flåm fjords was simply incredible as well. Leading up to the trip, she had worked with me patiently in revising our itinerary until I was happy with it, and it ended up being perfect for us.

Most notably, our initial flight to Norway was canceled and we had to book another flight the next day. Ingrid was amazingly quick to respond, very sympathetic to our situation, and messaged back and forth with me to make sure that we made it back on track with our itinerary. I am so grateful for her support and patience throughout our trip! I would 100% recommend using KimKim, and especially booking a trip to Norway with Ingrid.

Everything that was planned went off without a hitch except we were unable to get to a trail head because we did not have a 4x4 rental car. We spent 5.5 days in Iceland - was up from dawn to dusk. Really needed a lot more time to hike around the features_ not just stop and take pictures. Overall, great adventure. All tour guides were awesome. Iceland is shockingly expensive. Paid $30 for a hamburger.

We had an amazing experience trekking with responsible treks and would highly recommend it to anyone considering traveling to Nepal. Our guide Sonam was a true professional, taking care of us every step of the way. We did a 12 day hike to Phoksundo Lake and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a tour that is a bit more remote. We only say 4 other trekkers the entire time, and were able to really experience true Nepalese culture. The trek was definitely challenging at points, but nothing we (moderately fit people) couldn't handle. The most difficult part of the trip was getting to the remote area of Nepal where our hiking began and ended. We ended up being stuck for a few days; however, Sonam and the responsible trekking crew pulled out all the stops and made sure we were on the first flight out.

If you want a real Nepal experience where you get to interact with local people and see some amazing sights do this trek!

Was an excellent trip, the guides on the ground were great, the communication in advance was very good. There were a few issues but aren't there always.

We have Yudi for a day I Yogyakarta , then Ovan for the rest of Java with Obbie driving and lastly Merta in Bali. Jessica was the initial contact and office based organizer.

The local guides had a deeper understanding of the best order to do things, when something should be busy or quieter - so whilst the things in a day were the same, the sequence in the day was shuffled by the local guides.

Highlights were the Ijen trek, the Kalibaru plantations and Jatiluwih rice terraces

The week with slotrips was fabulous.
The tour was extremely well planned. It had everything . Fantastic hikes in the mountains. The via ferrata was great fun. The lakes were beautiful . The final dinner was sooo good .
The wine tasting was special. The lady from the vineyard gave great explanations and the food was delicious at her place . The visit to the caves was very interesting.
We had two guides for the trip : Anya and Domer. They were both terrific. Very knowledgeable , patient and fun.
A perfect trip.