Kimkim Trip Reviews

We enjoyed our trip very much and found the Travel12 team very responsive. The hotels were in great locations, but the rooms were very very small...especially the bathrooms. Other than that, all great. Although the two tours we had on Santorini were repetitive, we enjoyed the guides and our fellow tourists very much. We especially liked Sophia. She was extremely well informed and personable. Thank you for our great trip.

Our trip in Italy was fantastic. The drivers who picked us up and drove us to all of our destinations were extremely friendly, nice and professional. One of our phones was forgotten in one of our driver’s car, and he was kind enough to bring the phone back to us the next day in perfect condition. The hotels were greatly located, clean and the staff were very accommodating. The hotel in Amalfi and Rome were beautiful, however the hotel in Sorrento lacked some appeal as we were put in a room below ground level that was dark and very small. I would highly recommend all the hotels, except that one.
The food was fantastic and there was a great breakfast selection at most hotels.
The tours were fantastic, including the guides and staff.
Matthew was a great help throughout the trip, always answering our questions right away and giving us wonderful suggestions.
All in all, I would recommend kimkim to anyone that is travel to an unknown country and thank you all for planning an unforgettable trip for us!

Antonia, we so appreciated your diligence and care in both planning and executing our incredible Croatian Adventure. All of our lodging, transports and activities were well done and suited our needs perfectly. The tour guides added so much to our understanding of the culture/ history/ people...most of them exceptional! So many wonderful experiences, hard to choose a favorite...kayaking, hiking Plitvice, biking/cooking/wine tasting in Konavle, drives cross country, Hvar and Vis, walking the old cities, swimming in the Adriatic, accommodation update on my B Day and locating my luggage which was mistakenly taken....wow! We had a memorable experience and hope to return. We barely scratched the surface of what this lovely country has to offer! Thank you for your exceptional support throughout our two weeks in Croatia. We are so grateful Antonia.

Spent five days on a six cabin sailing vessel, traveling to the islands south of Athens. Seros, Serifos, Kythnos, Kos. Eight other tourists, plus the captain Alex, and we all got along very well. Aside from sailing, we swam in the coves, hiked the islands, and had dinner on the beach restaurants at night. Then, 3 days in Athens at a very nice apartment rental in the city, seeing the Acropolis, visiting the museums, and spending time reading in the local cafes. The local people spoke English very well, Alex spoke English well having gone to school in Wales, and most signs also had English on them.

On the Athens airport on the way back, I came across two women from my state who took a larger cruise line. After our discussion we came to the agreement that my trip- the smaller sailboat- avoids large crowds, lets you really have a unique (non packaged) experience, and was easily the better way to see Greece.

My husband and I are retired school teachers and usually plan our own trips, however because Romania is brand new to us, I checked online. When I read reviews of Raluca I was convinced to give it a try. I was not the easiest client, because first I said we like to hike. When Raluca offered us a complete hiking vacation, I saw that would be too much. So she changed our itinerary to include one all day hike in Craiului National Park and the rest exploring old Saxon villages, going in a rental car. Our nine day road trip included quaint hotels and guest houses in the old town section of each village. If you want first class lodging, I suggest booking it yourself and keep to the big city hotels. But if you really want an authentic experience where you meet real people, go with Raluca. A couple of times we felt stuck and had questions. Both times Raluca answered our call right away and got us answers.

Our most memorable night was our “night in a museum” where our guest house was a farm house in the small village of Viscri, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. We have visited a couple of museum villages in Europe where they have houses set up to show how people lived 100 to 300 years ago. The beds were fine and the food very good, down home cooking, the sense of community among the other boarders was very welcoming.

I cannot do this review without mentioning a place we were fortunate to stay two nights; that was at Casa Dobre, in the village of Madura, in the Carpathian Alps. This couple were so nice, they made our stay outstanding. Most places serve you breakfast. They served dinner as well, with home made plum schnapps on the side, plus whatever beverage you wanted, including beer or wine. And both mornings they sent us off with a sack lunch, because they wouldn’t want us to starve! And the views all around them were Sound-of-Music BEAUTIFUL!

Every time we thought we might have a problem, such as with parking in the pedestrian zone of little old downtowns, where we were always booked, things were fine when we got there. We have no regrets at booking with Kimkim and Raluca at Romania Active.

We typically are DIY travelers. For air, ground transport, hotels, and activities, I enjoy the planning process. Often, this is driven by the very specialized aviation activities I enjoy. Indeed, the first part of our trip was to Belgium for an airshow and photography activities. However, I was a little unsure of myself when it came to Greece so we decided to go with Kimkim. I was struck by the professional nature of the website.

We were then put in contact with Rebecca who did a great job in tailoring an itinerary to our specific needs and interests. While more expensive than my original DIY plans, we feel that we received excellent value for that extra money. We are extremely happy that we made the choice to go with Rebecca and Kimkim.

It is difficult to state the most memorable attractions because there were so many. Every attraction was unbelievable and at times jaw dropping. The attractions and scenery were something to behold!The adventure gave us a briliant insight into the geography, geology, history , culture, cuisine and lifestyle of Peruvians, both past and present.
I should state at this stage that our original reason to come to Peru was to learn about the Inca civilisation and we came away with an indepth knowledge and appreciation of their culture.
Our guide Zac was fabulous. He was informative, knowledgeable and enlightening in his knowledge of all aspects of his country both in the past and the present.
He individualised our program to suit our team of people. He was excellent at reading the individuals in the group in relation to their physical ability to comlete hikes , mental resolve in completing these tasks and know when it was time to have a rest. He developed a strong rapport with the group . He was humorous and answered our many questions with authority and interest.
Clearly an intelligent man who looked after us so well. Our other short term guide who covered the Lake Titticacca patr of the tour was also very good.

Even tho they were in contact with us at each location when we needed some questions answered they were slow to respond. Once it was overnight to a question that required immediate attention.
Partially because I did not study locations of accommodations I was disappointed in our 3 island hotels. They were much farther from city center and in Naxos and Mykonos much farther from beach than I hoped. In Naxos the hotel was a member of small luxury hotels but obviously that hotel had not been graded lately. Our accommodations in Athens both on arrival and last night before departure were exceptional and what I had hoped for the entire trip. I thought by requesting the Grande Bretagne in Athens that Christo would know and understand what we expected. It also seemed that where we stayed in all 3 islands that our rooms were the less accessible and farthest away from all amenities. All excursions were good except out trip in Athens to Poseidon’s Temple. Driver was disinterested in us or I trip and because of bad advise we missed getting into Poseidon Temple for sunset although restaurant we ate ,at base of temple, was wonderful and we did have some outstanding sea bream. Our transfers in islands was not reliable but after calling each hotel that responded quickly. Katrina our tour guide in Naxos was exceptional and would highly recommend her also Catamaran Sunset Cruise in Santorini was good. It was getting close to end of season and after working 7 days a week since May they admitted they were about burned out. Not sure what Kimkim got as your percentage but felt considering our accommodations and seeing what they would have cost if we booked independently it seems maybe that Travel12 was probably a little high. We have booked with Keningston the last 3 years. They absolutely were much more expensive but all details were flawless and documents were sent well in advance. All that said I would use Kimkim again but would use much more due diligence on a personal basis than I did this trip. Thanks and please feel free to reach out to me if you like.

Our guide Maurice from Ireland Walk Bike Hike was very helpful both before and during our recent trip to Ireland. He and a woman from their office (whose name I don't recall) called twice in our 7 day trip to make sure all was well. Galway was a good base for excursions. Westport was a lovely little town. We heard the best Trad music there and on my husband's birthday too! Ballina was a fun. We tried the traditional hot seaweed baths since this wasn't something we could do in the US. It was a relaxing end to our trip. If we had it to do again, we would have spent 1 less night in Galway (we had 3) and added another stop or longer in Westport. We enjoyed our trip!

We are very disappointed with our experience with KimKim on what should have been a great trip. Randall was helpful in laying out an itinerary that suited our needs. The quoted price seem quite a bit higher relative to the experience of friends and family who have been to Costa Rica, which prompted us to ask about any included fees. Randall said that all contracts with tour operators were "confidential" and that "all benefits are passed along to you." He insisted that there were no added fees beyond what was shown at the end.

The tours and experiences that Randall had booked for us were actually prominently advertised with their prices in every hotel we visited. All the hotels themselves also had their rates prominently displayed. Once we added it all up, we realized that KimKim had charged us more than a 30% premium on every activity and hotel as well as added on the fee at the end. Given the price, the lack of unique experiences that we all readily bookable everywhere, we would never use this service again. If you like the convenience and are willing to pay the huge premium, this is a great service. However, be aware that there is no transparency with regards to this premium and you can probably do just as well booking with your local reputable hotel from one of the major sites.

Preeti did an excellent job putting together our 6 day trip to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Southern Iceland. Her itinerary and suggested activities were spot-on, and she and her team were very responsive to questions and changes that we submitted. So glad we enlisted her help!

Our trip to Spain was all that we hoped it would be. A view of the culture, it's diversity, history and richness has made us desire to return.
Patricia did a masterful job making our desired results a reality. We had a very diverse list of things we wanted to see and experience: history, culture, nature, etc.: and she spent a lot of time refining our itinerary to maximize each one.
She booked us in small hotels right in the center of historical areas so that we could easily, in our free time, explore the everyday life of the beautiful cities and villages we visited.
Our guides, Elena, Raul, Julio, Christina, Miguel and all of the others were passionate about their love for their city, region, and Spain as a whole; and they had deep knowledge of the places they guided us through.
All of our travel coordination was seamless and not stressful. Even the one instance of a driver miscommunication was remedied within 30 min.
I cannot begin to more highly recommend Patricia and her team.

We had an AMAZING time in Morocco and give all the thanks to KimKim and Brahim for the experience!! Everything was seamless and I never had to worry about anything from the moment we booked to when we left Morocco. Brahim had worked with me on all my asks, getting me everything I wanted in our itinerary and answering any random questions I came up with. Mohammad was our driver and we loved him! I was part of a group of 6 and he picked us up in a large van that was clean and had AC and fit us all great. He took us everywhere and anywhere we needed to be, made reservations for us at restaurants, called hotels to confirm our arrivals and have someone meet us to take us to our rooms, he was on call if we wanted to go anywhere special and was overall a joy to be around. We were so happy with all the riads we stayed in and the experiences Brahim had booked for us. We happened on one small hiccup in our last stop, and I was honestly so impressed with the customer service, as Brahim called me right away to make sure we were happy and set for the day. After the experience, I would definitely use KimKim again and already looked at other countries they have services in.

Our trip to Iceland was incredible. The places to stay were a wonderful and except for the last night way exceeded our expectations. The last night was fine it was just a smaller room than all the others we stayed at so had grown accustomed to the beautiful rooms and locations along the way. The hints of things to see and do were very helpful. The food was fabulous and enjoyed the breakfast offered at each hotel. Appreciated Caroline's suggestion to go clockwise around the island. It worked out perfectly and we saw the northern lights 6 nights. Fosshotel Nupier was the best for them and wish we could've stayed their 2 nights. Mostly wish we had more time and could've had more days to explore areas. Just gives a reason to come back. Fosshotel Siglo and Fosshotel Eastjords were my favorite hotels. Didn't get the opportunity to use the pool at Ork but so was planning on it just something came up that changed the plans. Since it was a self tour we could adjust our plans based on what happened each day. 4 of the hotels I would have like 2 nights to explore those areas more, included Siglufjdur, one more further north of Mytvan and also be able to take a whale tour, East Fjords, and Skafatfel. Highlights besides the countryside and drives with stops along the way, numerous waterfalls (breathtaking and each unique), sheep, and birds was the Diamond Beach, Petras stone museum, helping herd sheep, Vatnsnes cave tour, hiking in Dimmuborgir and Dynjandi falls. The people were friendly. The guide at the Cave people tour, Hermann was awesome as well as the guide Max at the into the glacier tour.

Our trip to Russia was amazing! What a beautiful and interesting country.
Our guide in Moscow, Sergei, was full of local knowledge and so friendly as were Darya(Vladimir Guide), Alexander (Suzdal Guide) and Irina (St Petersburg guide). The city of Moscow was very interesting and we were surprised by the beauty and splendour of the Kremlin. Vladimir was full of medieval history with beautiful churches. Suzdal was beautiful, had a very laid back vibe and some beautiful buildings/churches. St Petersburg was stunning in its grandeur with huge and beautiful palaces filled with paintings, statues and treasures. We would recommend the Faberge Museum and also taking a boat trip on the canal/river.
The WhatsApp group was also a stroke of genius and ensured we always had a point of contact.
We paid more for our personalised trip with guides and it was so worth it! We don't think we would have seen half as much without these wonderful guides. Thank you so much to everybody involved in organising our trip - it was truly amazing!

We had a great time! Our driver Mohammad was the best. Answered all the questions he could making stops at some very cool places for us to check out.

Our driver, Mohammed, was absolutely fantastic. He was one of the best parts of the trip. We had a great time in Morocco but wish our experience in Marrakech was a bit better. Our tour guide was okay but we walked for most of the tour instead of seeing places of interest. It would have been better if we hadn’t walked through the worst places of the city. When we left early, Brahim called to make sure we were happy. The customer service was unexpected and unprecedented. Overall, our favorite city was Chechaouen, the blue city. It was gorgeous and the people were super nice. Our experience with KimKim far exceeded our expectations and we will 100% use them again.

I had a really great trip with Kimkim. Everything was so easy all the way through and the team was always a phone call away if I had any questions or needed some help.
Dean was fantastic and even dropped in for a face to face half way through to check in. I received phone calls from the team during the trip which was really comforting as I was travelling alone.
Petrina was also always close by when I needed anything and responded very quickly to any questions I had.
The hosts at each of my BnBs we’re fantastic, and I’d really love for them to know I enjoyed my stay, particularly my stay with Kathleen at Finglas House in Camp. I was quite unwell during my night there and she was very accommodating.
The pack provided by Kimkim containing route notes, maps and dining recommendations was great! I actually enjoyed readying about the next day’s activities before bed each night. They were thorough and obviously put together by people who were familiar with each walk. My favourite I think would have to be the one from Dingle to Dunquin, absolutely stunning.
Overall, I’d definitely book another holiday with Kimkim, and I plan to return to travel the north next time!
Thanks team.

I think overall KimKim did the best they could to service my group. They provided many options based on my request but our intentions were different. The KimKim service is best for those who are ok with someone taking care of everything and not worries about the additional cost. I think I was trying to learn more about the place and see various price options and activities lined up next to each other so I could get a good comparison and it’s not meant for that.

On that note Simon and Lucie did everything they could to service our group. We had a great time in Provence for the most part. The dinner we had the first night was delicious and I highly recommend the food tour/ cooking class we did with Mathilde. The wineries were less than pleasing and did not meet my expectations in terms of ambiance at the facilities. The wineries did not seem they were ready for visitors or meant for visitors. Maybe my comparison is to California wineries so there is a mismatch.

Overall, glad we went, we had a great time but I might go another route in the future due to my own personal reasons. More clarity around the cost breakdown would help the comfort level when booking for sure. The unknown makes it feel uncomfortable and I expect that we are paying a higher premium for the service but getting a rough idea would help.

My wife and I had a wonderful time touring four Greek Islands. Kim Kim was extremely helpful in arranging all the ferry/boat transportation and local transfers. This made the journey very easy. This was one error on a ferry ticket time and date; as soon as I contacted the local representative, it was immediately corrected. Overall, we were very happy with the hotels that were selected for us; they all had central locations and they had amazing views.