Kimkim Trip Reviews

Wow! Where to begin. I just got back from a 12-day trip to Italy with two other friends that was planned through kimkim. I discovered the site while looking at premade itineraries and decided to go ahead and plan a customized itinerary with a local specialist. I was then set up with Andrea, our local specialist through kimkim. He created the most perfect trip I could have ever asked for. Every request we had was answered, he went through extra effort to change things along the way so that we had the perfect itinerary ready to go. He was able to customize different types of tours (Small group vs private group), different classes of train travel, and various transportation options. Each thing he planned for us went so smoothly. Traveling internationally can be intimidating at times when trying to plan certain aspects; but with kimkim and Andrea, it was seamless. Not only was he incredibly responsive during the planning of the trip, but once we arrived, Andrea was always there to answer my questions and concerns through texting and calling. Anything that arose, such as wanting to book extra tours or booking covid tests to get back to America or confirming tour guides' names, Andrea was there to help in an incredibly timely manner. Some of our highlights were all of our guided tours of museums such as the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery, Vatican city, and our private wine tour through Tuscany. Each of our tour guides was incredibly kind and educated in their respective field of expertise. Our wine tour guide Fillipo was a Sommelier, our Rome city stroll guide Ferdinando was a Ph.D. in Archeology, and all of our art guides were masters or Ph.D.s in Art history. Each one was superb. I often saw many other tourists in large groups of 15+ with microphones and earpieces and they were booked at the same price as some of our tours. Without a doubt, our tours were more personal and better. I could go on for many more paragraphs about how great of a trip this was, how easy it was to book and create my perfect itinerary, and how helpful my local specialist Andrea was, but I will save your eyes! I was unfamiliar with kimkim before this trip, but because of their and Andreas' incredible work and help, I will be booking all my future trips with the company. Do not hesitate to book with them; you will be missing out if you don't!

Activity Review

Winery and Tuscany day including San Gimignano and Chianti wine

Italy

What an amazing day we had in Tuscany. Our day began with meeting our guide Filippo. We booked it as a small group trip (up to 8 people) but lucked out by being just the three of us and Filippo. He took us first to San Gimignano to have a short time to explore this incredible piece of history. Next, we traveled to two vineyards and were given amazing tours at each. The tasting, the private four-course lunch, and the tours were incredible. Not only were the guides at each vineyard kind and informed, but Fillipo always had more to add to make our experience better. He is a sommelier, training for his level 3 exam, and it showed. He knew so much about tasting and making wine and was able to impart great knowledge to each of us. It was an incredible day and I would highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Over all a very good time for us, the Whitewater rafting with Desafio was really well done and lots of fun the guides where top notch. We loved La Fortuna and really enjoyed staying at "Arenal Springs" a really amazing hotel/resort and the hanging bridges. Good times ziplining at Monteverde and the Poco a Poco.
Beaches, Monkeys and wildlife in Manual Antonio where a highlight of the trip.

In hindsight we would not have done the night walk with Terra Travel and I might have tried to schedule the last days differently so there was less driving. (maybe a day in Jaco or somthing)

But thanks for the good times and well orchestrated adventures.

In 40+ uears of global travel we have never used an agent before but now we are sold. Our flights, car rentals and transfers worked like clockwork and Oleksandra was efficient and responsive.

In particular Oleksandra saved the day when our return flight (booked by us) was cancelled at the last minute and our hotel was full. Oleksandra contacted our airline when we could not and gave us alternative options. She also got us a very nice hotel at a good price for our extra night.

Muchas gracias Oleksandra.

Hotel Reviews

Design Suites Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche

very nice hotel on the shores of the lake close to town. I would have given 5 stars if our room had a better view. The indoor/outdoor pool was very nice but is probably due for renovation and the ladies bathroom in the pool area was not up to the standars of the rest of the facility. The restaurant was very good and we had 2 dinners at the hotel. The room design was beautiful but the internet connection was a bit sketchy, we shifted to various netwoks several times during our stay.

Tips for future travelers

I would seek a room in one of the lower number building like 1 or 2 (we were in 4 and had a nice view of another building)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was great pool shower for the ladies a bit gross

Rendez-Vous Hotel Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

This hotel is very well located in the heart of bars and restaurants of Palermo and is reasonably priced. The lowest priced rooms in this cozy hotel are snug and I would opt for an upgrade to a bigger room. The staff was exceptionally helpful and friendly and language was never an issue. Breakfast was good and the bed was very comfortable. When our flight home was cancelled at the last minute Marion was very helpful and sympathetic. Gracias.

Tips for future travelers

Upgrade to a larger room.

Authenticity & Character

very nice design

Location

Staff

personal touches and friendliness

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner & Tango Show

Buenos Aires

we did not do this activity

Walking Tour Premium

Buenos Aires

we learned a lot about the city and had a comprehensive tour by a very knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

personal touch and great knowledge

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I would give this trip 10 out of 10 stars! This has been our favorite international trip that we have taken. We started planning in 2018 for a 2020 trip but unfortunately was pushed back due to covid. Our agent Harris has been fantastic to work with through our all of the hurdles. He was always responsive and organized the best tours, hotels and activities for us.

Our first two days were spent in Athens. The Acropolis and Ancient Athens Mythology Tour on our first day was a perfect way to learn about the city. Athens was unique - lots of graffiti, history and crazy driving! We walked the streets of Plaka and got to experience some local cuisine and shopping. Our hotel Home and Poetry was perfect for our large group of 8. The rooms were quaint and the owner made additional recommendations for us during our stay.

I was extremely glad Harris recommended we stop on the island of Naxos for three days. This was my favorite stop. The island was lovely and so were the people!. We stayed at the cutest hotel Villa Adriana and the owners were amazing! The hotel was super clean, the rooms were beautiful and the food every morning was delicious. The hotel is a family owned business and the owner was so sweet! We even invited him to join us for dinner and drinks one night. We absolutely loved the food and culture with Vioma Greece that Harris booked for us. Our guide, Katarina, took us to an olive press to taste the amazing olive products, the village of Apeiranthos to eat at @platanos_tavern_ apiranthos where we had the same food stop as Anthony Bourdain. It was amazing!

Our second day on Naxos was spent hiking Mount Zas eating their famous doughnuts at the top. We followed the hike with a recommended stop for Pizza! We watched the sunset a Apollo's door, went to a Greek Othodox church service and finished our trip with a morning spent at one of the top 10 beaches in the world! The people on this island were truly amazing and some of the friendliest people we have met during our travels.

Our final stop was Santorini. I've been dreaming about visiting Santorini since I can remember! This volcanic island didn't disappoint. We celebrated our first night in Santorni with dinner reservations recommended by Harris at Aroma Avlis, restaurant and winery 🤤 The food and wine was mouth watering and the service was on point!

Our second day was spent with touring different parts of Santorini and taking insta worthy photos on the Santorini Highlights Tour! The well known village of Ouia is just a beautiful as it looks in the pictures. It was very crowded (lots of cruise boats) but I definitely want to go back because I didn't feel like I got to experience all the village had to offer.

Our last full day was a a sunset catamaran cruise through the caldera. Fantastic views, hot springs, delicious food and great company! We could not have planned a better trip and our entire group is ready to get another trip on the books with Harris and the KimKim travel team. I highly recommend them using them for all of your travel needs!

Hotel Review

Home and Poetry

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Naxos Food & Culture Tour

Naxos

Quality of Experience

h

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When we started planning our trip to Peru we were overwhelmed by all the options we had and all the places we wanted to see. By working with Liz Karen she was able to pick the best of the best options for our family. Every detail was planned from the minute we arrived in Lima and included the most amazing tours and excursions including private tours of Lima, Cusco, Machu Pichu, and a rock climbing/ziplining adventure over the Sacred Valley in Peru. Our guides were knowledgable and friendly and there was not a detail missed. Liz even arranged for us to be Covid tested on the final day so we had a simple entry back into the United States. The amazement of the trip was matched with a resonable cost and excellent accomodations along the way. Our family had an amazing adventure and if you are smart you will book your next adventure with KimKim and let them plan every detail of your next adventure.

Hotel Review

Yawar Inka Hotel

Cusco

Excellent accomodations, clean and conformtable rooms, and the staff was friendly and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Groupal Quad bikes tour in Moray + Maras & Zip Line + Via Ferrata

Cusco

The adventure was so amazing the guides made us feel comfortable throughout even though the adventure was challenging and scary.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emanuela was absolutely fantastic to work with on this trip. She helped plan a wonderful Iceland adventure and helped us keep our costs down while exploring all the beauty that Iceland has to offer. She made sure to include the 'must see' spots, while also taking us off the beaten path to explore in places like Varmaland. She was extremely communicative during the trip and helped answer all of our questions no matter how big or small. Would definitely use KimKim and work with Emanuela again! Snow mobiling is also definitely worth it :)

Our experience with Kimkim was beyond perfect. Communication was fast and efficient. We got the exact tour we wanted and all the accommodations and service were amazing. Our driver made us feel comfortable and safe and took good care of us. The local tour guides were knowledgeable and gave us great tours of the city. We highly recomment booking a tour with Kimkim. We will definitely check with them for our next trips.

Our trek of the Manaslu circuit in Nepal arranged by Kripa was outstanding. During this post-Covid planning phase, Kripa answered our hundreds of questions immediately and kept us up to date on travel in Nepal. Everything was handled smoothly, from our airport pickup to assisting us on our shopping adventure in Kathmandu for trekking supplies. Our guide, Gelu, was the best. He took care of us the entire trek, even assisting in the kitchen with meals. The two porters he selected were amazing, carrying our gear effortlessly over passes that took our breath away, powered only by dal baht 24/7. Thanks to Kripa and her team for giving us a wonderful once-in-a lifetime trip.

I would like to say thank you to Jacky, who has arranged my family trip to Ecuador from 13 - 25 Apr 2022. We have a fantastic trip and I am so thankful for all your arrangement. From Ittenary, Accomodation , and local guide. We particularly enjoy our trip in Cuya Beno, Amazon rain Forest, and Galapagos islands.
Jacky is very responsive if we asked something over the phone. She always stand by for response. Its make us worry - free during our trip. Once again , thanks Jacky for all your help. We definely will refer you to our friends back to our country.

Hotel Review

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

Staffs are friendly, and we made this hotel as our base. So that we can leave our luggages at the hotel, during our trip to Amazon rain forest and galapagos island.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Activity Review

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Rom , the local guide is very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great experience! Emilce listened to all my needs and surpassed all our expectations!!

Once in Colombia, the tours were fascinating and the guides even better.

Highly recommend

I spent 15 days in Ecuador touring areas around Quito, the Amazon, and the Galapagos islands. I traveled alone with a guide until he dropped me off to go to the Galapagos.
I used Quito as a home base and took a free day, explored the old town and middle of the world museum, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi. I also stayed in Mindo and Banos. They were worth visiting.
In the Amazon, I stayed at the Kuyana lodge and in the Galapagos used Santa Cruz as a home base.
I was pleased with the work Mathias did on my travel plan, his response time, and how he kept in touch nearly daily. He managed to incorporate my special requests of a visit to the rose farm, the Condor Parque, and a horse ride. I had a special interest in those things and thought they were worth the time, although the ride to the Condor Parque was long. The horse ride added a lot to the visit to Cotopaxi as I did not care to climb. The horse guy was terrific. It was my first time on a horse!
I can not say enough good things about Kuyana. The food was terrific and authentic. The grounds and rooms are beautiful. The activities are wonderful and individualized to the traveler.
It was relaxing too! It was the best!
The Galapagos lived up to their reputation. A special thank you to my guide, Julian, from Day 1, and the man who helped me complete the exit steps on the final day! Awesome job, guys!
Ecuador has a lot to see! GO!

Hotel Review

Sisakuna Lodge

Mindo

Authenticity & Character

beautiful grounds, basic furnishing

Location

Staff

They made pizza for me for dinner during Carnivale!

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean.

Activity Reviews

Visit to another uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

This is a little shorter trip out to Seymour island. I had previously gone to Bartolome' island. Another hero of the Galapagos "white shirted Park ranger" led the way to Seymour! It was similar to the other trip, on the same boat even. This time, I knew exactly where to sit! It was another enjoyable day with a trip to an islet and some snorkeling time. I saw some amazing birds nesting. I saw great frigate birds "Man of War" , Magnificent Frigate Birds, and blue-footed boobies. Equipment to snorkel was provided each time including life vests. The food was good. It was fish. They really can do fish well there! No breakfast due to the shorter day, but again a snack was provided. Well worth getting on the boat again! It is well spent time on the boat. Relax and enjoy! Don't forget the sunscreen, really!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

This is a long day with a couple of boat transfers and a ride to the dock. It is worth it. The boat is relaxing if you can find the right spot to sit yourself down! It was hosted by a member of the awesome "white shirt Park staff" They are heroes of the Galapagos. I am a non-snorkeler so I was treated to a few minutes on a deserted beach. Heavenly. We also made the stop at Baltra island and took a long walk up to the lighthouse. I needed a little encouragement for the last little way! Thank you sir, that was great! The food on the boat was delicious. A breakfast, lunch, and snack were served. Don't forget the sunscreen! It is much needed on this trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

This is a great tour with lunch included. One of the most memorable photo ops with the amazing large tortoises! You can get very close. It was wonderful fun even in light drizzle. Bring a jacket, just in case! Mud boots are provided.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Great experience! Took me 3 tries to get on the horse. The man was very patient. It was my first time. I really enjoyed it and the meal we had at the Park lodge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Middle of the World

Ecuador

Super cool outdoor setting with activities to highlight the effects of the equator! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimkim is reliable Travel agency and Leandro is amazing Travel Agent. We used Kimkim for our trip to Chile, our first trip ever to explore South America.
Leandro is very friendly, knowledgeable and always reachable. He is also very flexible when it comes to customising the trip. We had little issue with the tour operator and Leandro helped us to resolve the issue instantly. Lots of people do not see the value of travel agency and think they are overpriced!! You pay for the convenience and stress-free holiday.
I would always recommend Kimkim and Leandro to all of our friends and would contact them again next time I want to travel and explore other parts of the Earth!
Thank you so much for all your help Leandro! You are super star!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel NOI Casa Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

Amazing from service, from the room to facility, to the service. Foods and drinks are delicious! Location is amazing (only 5 mins to the main road with lots of bar, restaurants and shops).

Tips for future travelers

Nope

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel NOI Casa Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

Amazing from service, from the room to facility, to the service. Foods and drinks are delicious! Location is amazing (only 5 mins to the main road with lots of bar, restaurants and shops).

Tips for future travelers

Nope

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

San Pedro de Atacama: Moon Valley and Death Valley Excursion

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Capricornio Expediciones has done a great job from communicating to taking care of us during the experience. They are very reliable! And I like them because they did not go behind travel agency back and tried to steal clients from travel agency (by telling us to book straight with them to save 2/3 of the cost).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paloma was amazing, she is knowledgeable, responsible, reliable and very energetic. She helped us enjoy the Atacama to the fullest

Transport

On time, easy to communicate, reliable.

Deb was phenomenal! From the start, she was super communicative and eased us into the process of working with a travel agent, as we had never done so before. Every morning we would wake up to amazing updates that got us incredibly excited for our trip.

As she learned more about ourselves and what we wanted from our trip, she never batted an eye about making changes to our itinerary and even made suggestions about things that we never thought possible. When we were on the trip, we had a few hiccups (of our own doing) and Deb was right there with us making updates and helping us come up with a new plan of attack.

Deb, you have given us an experience that we will never forget. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such an amazing person, a stellar travel agent, and for having a gigantic heart. I can't wait to work with you again.

- Marc

Hotel Review

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

Ivory Wilderness was the highlight of my trip. The night tours, early morning treks, and being able to walk around the bush on foot was incredible. The food was delicious, the accommodations were perfect, the setting is unbeatable, and the crew that put the experience together treated me as though I was one of their life long friends. I could not have wished for a better time. Thank you so much!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Private Game Drives

South Africa

Linda, Sebastian, and Alejandro were all fantastic! Linda planned the perfect week for our family to enjoy activities and take in the beautiful country. We had so much fun and loved our accommodations and tours. Would absolutely recommend!

Hotel Review

Old Town Quito Suites

Centro Historico, Quito

Super comfortable, great rooms, and really nice kitchen set up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

This was so fun and engaging for our kids! It ended up being quite tasty, too. A real highlight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most amazing 10 day trip starting in Dubrovnik, Croatia and ending in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Sarah was our travel specialist who organized and individualized our trip to make it memorable with a great combination of scheduled activities and free time. Sarah chose the most amazing boutique hotels in Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Ljubljana in the historic old towns of each city with their own unique charms. You could not pick a better location or more welcoming hotel staff, as each made us feel very welcome and special. We had great tour guides at our destinations, and we especially want to mention Ina. She gave us a very good insight into Croatian life as well as very insightful tour of Split and Trogir. Our personal drivers were very attentive and knowledgeable especially Mario, with vast knowledge and he always exceeded our expectations with his attention to detail. We were very happy to have him two of our days. On our way from Split to Zadar, Sarah organized an authentic Croatian meal at Restoran Vicko, the most amazing family owned farm-to-table restaurant. It is a hidden gem worth the drive. Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes are definite must sees, the beauty and tranquility of the parks were breathtaking. The Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb was beautiful and did not disappoint. Sarah had nice bottle of wine and chocolates waiting in the room for us, a beautiful touch. On to Slovenia to visit the beautiful Lake Bled, the unbelievable Postojna Caves and interesting Prejama Castle. The weather was perfect in April, we arrived before the summer crowds. We really enjoyed all the places we visited, they were all beautiful with their individual charms. Thank you Sarah for your attention to detail. We will always have our memories of our amazing trip and look forward to returning to explore Croatia and Slovenia more.

Hotel Review

Boutique Hotel Stari Grad

Dubrovnik

Boutique Hotel Stari Grad is a wonderful hotel in a perfect location. The hotel personnel are very attentive and welcoming. The rooftop restaurant is beautiful and the breakfasts are very beautiful , fresh and delicious. The room was modern and comfortable. I highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

A modern room in a historic buikding

Location

In old town convenient to great restaurants and history

Staff

Welcoming and lovely

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Activity Review

Krka National Park + lunch in the countryside

Croatia

Krka was an amazing park of numerous trails and waterfalls. The beautiful blue and turquoise waters were breathtaking. Pictures could not do it justice, you need the sounds and smells of nature to comp;ete the beauty.

Quality of Experience

We had a great day exploring Krka and the amazing lunch

Food

Restoran Vicko was an amazing farm to table family restaurant with the most amazing food. The portions were very hearty. This is a hidden gem, where the locals drive an hour on special occasions to eat here. We had a tour of the kitchen, which was very interesting. Highly recommend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mario was our private driver and went above and beyond in everything to make sure we had the best day. He was a wealth of knowledge and very personable and accommodating.

Transport

We had private transportation which was very comfortable.

This trip was curated well. I would give it 5 stars had the hotel in Lisboa have been better. Turim Restoradores was well situated however, the rooms are painfully outdated. My bathroom was so narrow( and dirty on our last night). Both rooms' temperature was not regulated and when asked, we were told that there is NO AC just heat. I'd hate to be in that hotel in the summer. Imagine dreading going back after a full day of walking(I would have given 5 stars otherwise)As a tour company, I think the hotel tax should be included in pricing. While I was told it was mentioned in the agreement, that the hotels in different cities/countries charges different rates(isn't the tour company's business to know it, after all you picked the hotel)Its not much but that's besides the point.
Our first taste of the city was a Tuk Tuk tour, unfortunately the guide was late and lacks the desire to make the trip personable as he darts around the city. I was the told by him that he is not a native(which is fine) but only on the job for 2 months(I can tell, he was rambling off points of interest like it was in a tour guide book). Thankfully for the next two days, Rosa(walking food tour) and Marta(Sintra/Cascais) were both fantastic. The guide in Coimbra was also very informative.
Hotel in Porto was a refreshing change from Turim. It has been tastefully updated/front desk was informative and helpful/breakfast spread was amazing! First adventure, motorised bike tour. Thankfully our family of 4 weren't novice bicycle riders. I think if one was new to biking, it would be challenging(not due to the hills) for all the difficult terrain and navigating through tourists in the area we when through. Food and cultural tour was so-so, not once was port served/Apparently that would be a port tasting tour(one would think that both food and port is combined) after all wine was served. The day excursion to Duoro Valley was fantastic! Nelson our guide made our trip very memorable. Obidos was just so so beautiful(at least 3 hours needed with lunch). Alas our last night was back in Turim. Having to compare the accommodation of Eurostar Porto to Turim was a hard pill to swallow on our last night in beautiful PT.
Marina as a guide was attentive and very quick to address any issues/questions during the planning and while we were there. As a tour company, I'm certain you would want to know the condition of the lodging your guests are put in. I write with no malice. In life you win some and lose some. Being in the service industry myself, I'd like to know the good and the bad as only then improvements can be made.

Hotel Review

¡NO USAR! Turim Restauradores Hotel

Lisboa

Location-Great. Accommodation was ok. No regulated air. NO AC only heat. Made sleeping through the night challenging. Breakfast spread has seen better days. It was included in our reservations, otherwise I wouldn't pay $15 euros for it.

Tips for future travelers

Do not stay if you like AC

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore Lisbon by Electric Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

Just not the right tour guide. While we were waiting, another guide(from the same company) was way more pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of booking our trip through KimKim for our recent 9 day trip to Egypt. We just returned and wanted to express how grateful we are for the team and everything they did for us. Not only did they adjust the trip and fine tuned it to my exact needs and requirements, but they dealt with my million questions along the way lol. First of all, the trip started with Mahmoud meeting us as soon as we stepped off the airplane in Cairo before we even hit baggage or customs. From there, it was a flawless < 20 minute experience to get from the plane to the car and we couldn’t have done it without his help. We were driven through the insane traffic of Cairo with ease to our first hotel where they dropped us at the door and ensured all was well. We communicated the entire time through WhatsApp and each day the next days plan was laid out.
Our first 2.5 days were with Mohammad, who was not only an incredibly knowledgeable guide but was kind and funny. We saw the Pyramids and Mohammad Ali mosque on day one, followed by some amazing local schwarmma sandwiches. We went to a handful of souvenir stores where we got to purchase some awesome, government certified souvenirs special to Egypt. I got to ride a camel at the pyramids too! Pickup was prompt and everything was safe, fun, and easy.
The next day we were picked up promptly for a long drive out to the desert where we stopped partway to have a traditional Bedouin lunch which was cooked by our guide and drive Achmed, who stayed with us the entire time. His desert driving skills were unmatched and took us to the best sightseeing places. Then we settled into the White Desert for a night of campfire cooking, tea, and sleeping in the sand. It was incredible and delicious and we never felt unsafe.
The next day we said goodbye to Mohammad and Achmed and we’re driven to the airport for our flight to Luxor. Again - all planned out well and prompt. We were met at the airport with ease for pickup to our hotel in Luxor.
We got a call that night directly to our hotel saying the hot air balloon ride we had planned for the next day was cancelled due to weather, and they had already adjusted our itinerary and booked us a new balloon ride for the following day with no stress.
We were picked up by Ahmed for a full day of Luxor sightseeing. He was knowledgeable and kind and left us to explore on our own a bit which we enjoyed. He took tons of photos and we had a wonderful day.
The next morning we were promptly picked up at 345am for the hot air balloon ride, which we got to via Nile river boat (fun and unexpected!). This was also very easy and professional and hands down the best part of our trip.
We were taken back to our hotel after to pack our bags and get picked up for our drive to Hurghada, which was prompt and easy. Once we arrived they checked us in and arranged hotel pickup and PCR tests for that Saturday that we were leaving.
When we were picked up Saturday it was prompt with easy quick drive to the airport. That night when we were picked up from the airport, Mahmoud picked us up again and had a doctor waiting for us at the airport for PCR test which was done quickly. We had the results send to us via WhatsApp a few hours later and they were totally acceptable for return to the USA.
Overall we legitimately had no snags the entire time and with the language barrier between English and Egyptian Arabic, we quite literally couldn’t have done this trip without the KimKim team. It was a perfect trip and we will definitely use them in the future for other trips.

Valentine worked with me to create an amazing trip to Bordeaux, Tours (Loire Valley) and a quick stop in Paris. My accomodations were perfect - apartment style w/kitchens in residential areas. My apartment in Tours (Central Parc Tours) was breathtaking. Open, bright and looking right over a beautiful park. I did not rent a car and wanted to be able to walk everywhere and feel comfortable as a solo, female traveler. Valentine nailed it!!!!

I opted for several small group and private tours of the cities, wineries and surrounding towns. All of my guides were outstanding and I thoroughly enjoyed each of the trips. Ate, drank, laughed and explored some amazing regions.

Thank you Valentine for making this such a memorable trip (and on short notice). I look forward to working with you again on my next trip to France.

Jamie

Hotel Review

Central Parc

Tours

As I mentioned in my overall review - the location and individual apartment were fabulous!! Amazing location overlooking one of the most beautiful parks. Easy to walk to everything - food, shops, dining, stores. The staff were very helpful and friendly. I will DEFINITELY be staying here again!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Overlooks the most beautiful park!! And, close to everything...walkable.

Staff

Very communicative and helpful suggestions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Immaculate!!!

Activity Review

Landmarks of Bordeaux - Private Walking Tour

Bordeaux

My guide was wonderful - very informative, personable. Also had great suggestions for other activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Terry and I emailed back and forth and she really got a good idea of what type of a vacation we were looking for. She wanted to know about us, what we liked to do, eat, etc. Then we had a nice long phone conversation to discuss further what we were looking for.
She listened and provided a few ideas and we revised and regrouped and tweaked the plan and the trip plan was fantastic. We stayed in 7 hotels over 10 nights. The selection of hotels were perfect. Exactly what we wanted.
The Iceland Yurt !! Wow what an experience. Loved it. It was the perfect way to begin our adventure. We wanted a variety and she delivered. We stayed in a cottage on the water in Fjarabyggd and it happened to be cold, windy, rainy and blustery. It was so perfect and we were able to keep our blinds open and watch the weather through the windows overlooking this amazing water - the view was amazing. Frost and Fire in Hveragerdi was awesome. Loved the town and so glad she chose this little gem for us to stay for two nights. Every hotel choice was perfect - we had fantastic variety and locations.
Excursions !! She hit the nail on the head. Every one of them was perfection. We had the perfect quite the variety; beer bath, Glacier Hike, Geo Spa geothermal pool, Ice Cave tour, Glacier Snowmobile.
Between our excursions we had outlines of the best things to see as we drove around the country.
The driving directions and itinerary was outstanding. Every night we checked the next days activities and picked the can't miss ones !!! We followed right along with the directions in our trip plan. We loved the way the trip plan was broken down with the driving directions, hints (ie: when to book our covid test, dont forget to pay for the toll for the tunnel, etc) accommodations and confirmations for our tours.
It was truly priceless. It allowed us to just enjoy the adventure and not stress about the little things. Thankful for Terry's work and diligence to help us plan the absolute best vacation of our lives.

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The cave is beautiful. Our guide was great as well. The notes said that there was a bumpy ride to the cave. Just be prepared because whatever you think is bumpy times it by 10. It was super bumpy as you drive for about a half hour off road. Then you will hike about a half hour to the cave. It is an easy walk. It is gorgeous in the cave. Waterproof pants jackets and shoes really will make life easy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

This was our favorite excursion. You will meet at the meeting spot and drive for one hour up the mountain in ice and snow. Once you get to the hut they will put a complete snowsuit on you with helmet and buff. If you don't have waterproof shoes they have a bootie you can use. The day we went the winds were at least 50mph and it was hailing. Being a Florida girl never on a snowmobile I was second guessing my choice as I watched grown people fall over because the wind was so strong they couldn't even walk. Once we got on the snow mobile and drove for about 5 mintues we got out of the hail storm. It was the most beautiful sights from up there. Truly unforgettable .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

This hike was very educational . We didn't realize why the lava was on the glacier, etc I loved learning about it. The crampons are interesting to walk with. They will give you those, a helmet and you will wear a harness. Be prepared that you may get hot walking but the guides are so great. They realize that you may want to take off a layer or two. This is a straight hike. You hike from where you check in. There is not drive to the glacier.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides were great. Super helpful

GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths Experience

Iceland

This was a great place to visit. We loved the baths, the swim up bar, etc. We ate in a lovely restaurant in the town. Be sure to bring clothes and be ready to shower before and after going into the pools. We brought a towel with us from our hotel. We didn't need a robe. I was shocked that i wasn't freezing getting in and out of the pools. The view of the mountains over the water in the distance does take your breath away.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We really had great tours and guides. The cooking class was lord of fun with great instructors. Jospeh our hiking guide and Pedro our 4x4 guide did an excellent job as well. The can Alberti was an excellent hotel with great service

Hotel Review

Casa Albertí Boutique Hotel

Mahón

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

From Market to Table: Cook Authentic Spanish Dishes

Barcelona