Kimkim Trip Reviews

Thank you Linda Verasdal, our trip planned by you was amazing, so well organised for us, so easy to follow.
Highlights for us was Flam Railway breathtakingly beautiful. We loved Balestrand enjoyed the kayaking and hiking amazing views to town. Cruise on Naeroyfjord was surreal.
Accommodation was easy walking distance from train.

Trip was fantastic - I never could have planned this without Halldor / Wild Westfjords. I have no idea what premium I paid to have this trip planned but it doesn't matter - I could never have put something like this together on my own.

I would definitely refer Halldor - and KimKim - to anyone looking to visit Iceland.

We are a family of 3 adults that with the help of Ed from the Kim Kim team created a 2 week trip through Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. I let him know that we liked hiking, culture and time to relax.
Ed put together a trip working with Outdoor Kosovo and Drive Albania to nicely cover everything. We hiked for 3 days in the Accursed Mountains then switched to culture and relaxation. Hiking and lake Ohrid were highlights. Our guides Mentor and Fatos were excellent for hiking. Ardie our guide/driver through Macedonia and Albania was great and highly entertaining 😉.
Overall we rate our quality of service as excellent.
We had previously used Kim Kim for a trip to Colombia last year with similar results.
Ralph

Hi we began from Corte, Hotel was in great location but rude staff on reception. Walk next day was excellent. Directions usually clear. Very friendly lady in Calacuccia with fresh roses in room. Tough to carry cases without a lift. Lovely walk to Castell Verghiu and great views from room. Very good meal. Another great walk though some of our party didn’t make the waterfall. The bridge isn’t there which should be more explicit in directions. Night in Evisa. The walk to Ota was beautiful and we had one of our best meals at Chez Felix. We walked down the road to Porto. Shame about overgrown path - could that be cleared? Hotel was great with stunning pool in eucalyptus forest. We took a boat trip after a tip from fellow walker - perhaps you should suggest that in the notes or even get a discount? Corse Adrenaline was good company in small boat. We didn’t find anywhere good to eat. Recommendations would have been helpful. The walk to Piana was tough in heavy rain. Les Roches Rouges was stunning with a very kind Patronne Mady. It is a way from the beach so a hire car might have been handy. We did another walk by ourselves to Capu Rossu. We ate at wonderful Italian called Le Hospiton about 6km away and then the hotel restaurant which was great. Overall we would have enjoyed more background detail in the directions eg date of the Genoese bridges, more on wildlife, possible diversions eg Ruines of Dispensa, restaurant tips. But this was a great trip.

We met Raluca after the visit and gave feedback. Overall the trip was exactly what we asked for. We are pleased.
Every host did well albeit very differently from UK! To UK travellers I'd say it's like France in the 80's; no facilities for making hot drinks in your room except at hotels, and take bags of tea with you with travel kettle! After meals that you bought as part of the trip, you still have to pay for coffee as extra. Learn some Romanian - you'll need it. Driving there isn't hard if you're calm, but country roads can be unmetalled and deep potholes make for slow progress. Host-provided picnics can be clumsy chunks - and remember always you provide your own drink. Watch out for impulse stops; we were scammed by nuns! Do not use any yellow car at airport. I made a mistake and thought I would solve it using one and was overcharged and dumped away from target. If you use Bogdan in the Delta, rest assured he is an excellent boatman. He also speaks English excellently but don't expect him to be a nature guide too. We wanted to be self guiding and are happy, but for some people I'd suggest considering hiring guides for the mountain walks.

We had the most amazing trip and a great time with Elina and Gareth. Visits to nature center, raindeer farm and husky farm were interesting and educational. The day-long hike was incredibly enjoyable! Overall our whole group was very happy with the experience, especially living in the cabins, going to sauna and making pancakes on the open fire!

Our trip to Croatia was amazing, what a beautiful country. We have been wanting to make this trip for years but never got around to planning, mostly because of the complicated itinerary we wanted. Thanks to Veselka the planning was easy. She made sure we got to do everything we wanted and booked the perfect hotels and apartments, all in the best locations. She also made sure that someone was there at every point to take us to our accommodation making this a very stress free and relaxing vacation. Our family travels a lot and we all agree this was one of our favorite trips.

Our trip to Petra and Wadi Rum was one of the most memorable, and it was very much thanks to outstanding planning by Andy. I was trying to communicate with local tour operators to schedule a very specific, customized private tour and was not very successful doing so. I ran into the KimKim team and gave it a shot, best thing I could have possibly done.

Our trip was surprisingly smooth, everything was scheduled impeccably and the itinerary executed flawlessly. Andy captured my vision, and delivered exactly what I was looking for. We started our day in Tel Aviv, visited Petra, and spent the night under the stars in Wadi Rum in a beautiful camp. The following morning we admired Wadi Rum and all it has to offer during the day. I also want to thank our Jordan-based driver, Ali, who was nothing short of amazing. He really made us feel very welcome and was accommodating to our needs throughout the trip. I was amazed at this hospitality and professionalism.

To Andy, Ali and the other local operators: thank you!

Our Croatia tour came at the end of a longer trip. Our time was limited so we wanted to ensure we made the most of the time we had in Croatia. Veselka worked with us up front to determine what kind of experience we were looking for. Our goal was to see and experience Croatia, not only the highly touristed areas, which of course are beautiful, but also Croatia beyond that. We wanted a taste of the Croatia that required a bit of exploration.

Veselka paired us up with some fabulous guides for our Dalmatian Coast trek. In Dubrovnik, Darko was our escort on a countryside cycling trip and cooking class adventure. He made the day so much fun for us. He was very knowledgeable about the region and could answer the endless stream of questions with patience and thankfully, a great sense of humor. It was a fabulous day and we were so sad to see it end.

Our next guide was Vedran in Hvar, who was tasked with taking us on a trek through a beautiful valley where we explored abandoned villages and saw incredible mountain scenery. A stop for lunch with a colorful character was a nice addition to the hike. Vedran also gave us the option of extending our hike from its planned end point, up the coast back to Hvar town. It was not a requirement for him but he volunteered to extend our hike by several hours to give us an incredible experience and access to views otherwise unobtainable... and he also suffered the endless barrage of questions gladly... and we had many great laughs along the way. We were sad to see the day end and bid farewell to Vedran.

The last parts of the organized trip were the most intimidating for two prairie girls from Canada. Sea Kayaking was our first taste of being on the open water. We adapted quickly and were amazed to find that we were able to kayak across open water to islands just off the coast. It was a glorious day and Edi was the perfect guide for the sport. He knew his stuff, and he was so much fun! Again, we didn't want to say good bye.

The big event was the 3 day sailing trip in the islands. Land girls on a sail boat... there were a lot of things that could have gone wrong for us. Captain Bartul was a wonderful guide and ensured we got the most from our sailing experience. The evenings moored in little, out-of-the way marinas located in tiny villages, nestled in beautiful, secluded bays were so much more than we expected.

Both of us were so pleased with the experience from start to finish. We have traveled extensively for a lot of years and this trip lands at the very top of our list of highlights. Croatia is magnificent, but what took the experience beyond that was the planning on the part of Veselka and the wonderful guides we had the privilege of spending our time with. They made us feel like we were hanging with friends and we brought home some truly special memories as a result. Just can't say enough about it!

Jennifer and Kelly from Canada

Dear Ingrid and kimkim, Tom and I appreciated your planning of our Scandinavian trip this year. Ingrid, your suggestions and fine-tuning help to structure our trip so we were able to enjoy new experiences and culture that was absolutely fresh to us. Ingrid, From structuring the best way for us to travel to numerous contacts with Tom to polish our itinerary to prompt responses whenever we had a question you were patient, friendly, kind and reliable.

We were happy, well fed, and well housed. We could get around very well using public transportation. Ingrid, your warm welcoming tour of Bergen was just what we needed to help us get our feet on the ground and learn so many new things about amazing beautiful Bergen. We loved our fjord cruise and were happy to stay in Aurland, which was gorgeous. We were relieved that we hadn’t pushed to stay in Flam which was essentially a group of souvenir shops punctuated by bakeries. Really good bakeries.

While in Aurland, the prices were very high in the restaurant which had no competition and served badly cooked food. We thoroughly enjoyed the magical train ride from Flam to Oslo. ( Such Beauty!) Sarah was a splendid guide in Oslo, kind and so well informed. She was very responsive to our specific interests and was so knowledgeable about Oslo; its history and present. The ferry to Denmark and our stay in Copenhagen was also excellent. Stockholm was a total surprise for its amazing city square and museums.

After being home for one week, we can appreciate the cultural aspects at a deeper level: near-universal English being spoken, often with no discernable accent, the tolerance of people in all countries to any need we might have. I loved especially that atmosphere of reverence toward the past and the sense of history that seemed to co-exist with the present.

We highly recommend Ingrid Thornes as a trip planner and guide. Sarah in Oslo was an excellent, personable guide. We were very satisfied kimkim is a terrific travel service. We will happily return for future travel.

In Gratitude and Satisfaction,
Best,
Tom and Susan

AMAZING is the word I have been using. I didn’t feel at all like I was on one of your typical tourist Trips. Ed was great and determined to make it an adventure which he did. Our guide Nesti was as some of us Americans say “The Cats Meow “. Just wonderful. So caring, so knowledgeable, on time, a complete joy to be with and like Ed out to give us adventurous . Good ones at that. We met Ardi another one of their guides. Great guide. Guess I can’t say enough about the team (including Boobie, Ed’s dog) and the trip. Would recommend them to anyone. The lodges and all the people running them were so nice as were ALL the people I came across in Albania. I have my Albanian bracelet that I wear all the time because it has now become a special place to me.

Overall the trip was great and all of us think that Petra was the highlight. It was a rush, but that's because we had time constraints and entirely our doing. Carmen is a great planner and was in constant contact & communication before and during the trip. My thanks to her. The guides were good and knowledgeable. Najeeb may have been a little overbearing but overall no complaints. They were punctual and helpful.

The Art Hotel (Downtown) was a great location and good place to stay and get a feel of life of the ordinary people in Amman. The Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum was below our expectations in terms of accommodation. However, the staff were excellent and the jeep tour in the desert was good. (Again I am not pointing any fingers as it was my choice for a 3 star accommodation, but if I may suggest a little more information about the accommodation during the planning stages would have helped).

We were not aware that we had to pay for towels & lockers at the Dead Sea Resort - an alert/info on this matter would have helped.

Overall, we were happy. Cheers.

Thanks for a memorable vacation,as your itinerary was perfect; the car correct, the sights wonderful and the accommodations superb. We appreciate your work and suggestions as we relive the week with friends and relatives. Your help--even with the weather! is appreciated. thanks again.
Terry

Aldo, our local guide, was a wonderful, knowledgeable leader and kept the many pieces of our trip in order while also making sure we were all safe and comfortable and that we learned about Peruvian history, culture and natural resources. I cannot speak highly enough of his skills and what a special person he is.
Our chef, Jonah and his assistant Eduardo, also made this trip memorable. The food that they provided for us could have been served at any top-rated restaurant in the world. This was such a delightful and unexpected part of the trip - and they managed to do this three times a day using a kitchen that had to be transported by horseback!
The hiking was strenuous, especially the uphill portions climbing to over 15,000 feet. It challenged all of us on the trip but with Aldo’s help and support from each one of the six people in our tour family, we all conquered the difficulties and were exhilarated by the adventure.

I could write a book or a love song about My trip to the Jordan, a story and a song that will forever remain in my heart,

The trip started with kind Tamara who knew what I wanted and the places I wanted to visit, between Jerash, Wadi Rum, PETRA, and the Dead Sea,

At the Queen Alia airport, I was met with gentleman who had a sign with my name on it waiting for me, (sincere apologies don’t remember his name) in no time he arranged for my Visa, got my luggage and out of the airport,

Outside, I was met by a familiar face, the face of the Jordanian Hospitality, named Mohammad, I was transferred to his clean well air-conditioned, safely and skilfully driven vehicle, who realized coming from Canada, not accustomed to warm weather offered me cold water and made sure I was happy and comfortable, I felt right at home enjoying every bits of every place I visited

Later, I was accompanied by Mu’ath, a gentleman a guide-who, by his knowledge made the past alive in front of my eyes, thru Petra’s ancient ruins,

My trip to the Jordan exceeded my expectations, glad I left the booking to the professionals, (no headache, and never got lost :)

I left Jordan, it’s beauty and it’s kind people but the Jordan, a song will forever remain in my heart

This was a great trip from start to finish. Aldo, the guide, was a pure delight to spend 4 nights and 5 days with. He covered every detail and more; bring hot water bottles to each of us as we were sleeping at 14,000 feet in the Andes to stay warm, bringing coffee or tea to each of us before we got out of bed. The highlights for us were to reach the summit of the Salkantay trail at 15,200 feet, the coffee plantation where we picked the coffee beans, roasted, ground and made coffee and camping by the mineral hot springs, soaking our tired bodies. The food was gourmet dining, the two cooks were splendid. Manchu Picchu was a day to remember with Aldo providing a tour. I would recommend this trip to anyone, I still have that vacation glow!!!!!

Great trip and experience. Loved it. Highly recommend. Azores offers a lot of cultural dynamics and activities, very accessible from Boston and at a very reasonable price. Great value. Also, close enough to consider long weekend excursions: Thursday night to Monday.

We had an incredible trip to Nicky Lodge on the Aguarico River. Our primary guide, Evi, was incredibly knowledgable (able to name nearly every species we asked about by its scientific name and also in Spanish, English and one or two of the local dialects), patient and fun. The secondary guide was not quite as knowledgable, but had a great knack for spotting hard-to-see animals. The guides (and the canoe drivers, too) paid close attention to the interests of our group, and would happily stop (or turn around) the boat to point out interesting creatures.

The lodgings were very comfortable, with running water (and it got nice and hot, important for the days we got soaked by the rain), but with no bells-and-whistles which made it feel like a proper jungle experience. The food was also simple but delicious, and the staff was very attentive to food allergies (my mom is gluten free).

Of course, in the jungle it's the plants and animals which really draw your attention - but the professionalism, comfort and service at Nicky Lodge made the whole trip seamless and wonderful.

Thanks!

I cannot say enough about how professional, efficient, personable, and thorough the team at Responsible Treks was.
I consider myself a low-maintenance traveler, so I was not used to having such a highly attentive team. But I’m grateful for it. They took care of every detail, leaving my focus only on soaking in the scenery, history, culture, and terrain of one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
Kunchok guided me through selecting a trek and preparing for it. He was responsive to every question and upfront with all the details we would need to know. He met us as we arrived at our hotel and ensured that we were briefed in person on the timeline and the details of the trek.
I had selected the short Dhampus Trek with my brother. Our guide in the mountains was Dawa. He was phenomenal—entirely professional and highly knowledgeable. And we felt as though he were a close friend by the end of the trek. He helped us navigate cultural nuances as well as fully explained all stretches of the trek to us. He left both of us wanting to return and trek again with him one day.
Rajive was our guide for a day in Kathmandu, and we were left feeling like we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. He asked us about our timeline and our interests, and then he made tailored suggestions to us that allowed us to see both the major Kathmandu sites as well as some off-the-beaten-path sites that allowed us to feel as though we’d been given a private view into the true vibe of that culturally rich city.
At an incredibly reasonable price, Responsible Treks seamlessly took us from A to Z along our trip, and left us feeling beyond satisfied. I highly recommend this team.

We had a great time on each of the tours you organized. Thank you!!