Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 19,118 ratings
Read 19,118 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

The Wonders of Panamá - 7 Days
Panama | Aug 12 - Aug 18, 2019

Eca
Eca B.
New York, NY | Reviewed on Aug 20, 2019
My trip last week included retracing family history on the maternal side of both my mother’s and father’s side of the family, celebrating 500 years of the founding of the oldest city in the Pacific, being singularly called out to belly dance in a Lebanese restaurant (and convincingly holding my own) in the middle of Panamá City, thence to receiving the warmest, kindest, globalist, most beautifulest birthday greetings from around the world on my seminal 25th-again-for-the-62nd-time-birthday... Read more

My trip last week included retracing family history on the maternal side of both my mother’s and father’s side of the family, celebrating 500 years of the founding of the oldest city in the Pacific, being singularly called out to belly dance in a Lebanese restaurant (and convincingly holding my own) in the middle of Panamá City, thence to receiving the warmest, kindest, globalist, most beautifulest birthday greetings from around the world on my seminal 25th-again-for-the-62nd-time-birthday for which I’m so grateful to be celebrating... what a week, I honestly don’t know where to begin...

So I’ll begin at the beginning. Panamá.

Everything about Panamá is fascinating. It’s so easy to overlook how fascinating it is, but the fates would have it that I would be in Panamá both for my birthday and for the 500th años celebration of the founding of Old Panamá City – there is nothing to overlook about these fascinations! Exploring Latin America is like going into your neighbour’s house for the first time. Your neighbour has always been there but for some reason or another you’ve never entered into their home… and then, for some reason or another you get an opportunity to enter, and for the first time you find yourself crossing over the threshold into an alternate universe and it hits you how remarkable it is to live next door to someone, greeting or commiserating on their news regularly but having no clue about what the inside of their home looks like! I think we have all been there. Latin America is that unseen habitat that you see every day … but until you’ve crossed the threshold, you’ve never seen quite in this way!

My Panamá trip took the form of a well-planned experience with kimkim, crafted to understand the stories of the 80,000+ AfroAntillians (West Indians) who travelled to Panamá before WW1 to seek better since sugar plantations gave them no hope of overcoming impoverishment and the Americans promised work to West Indians with the building the Panamá Canal - the largest engineering undertaking at that time. I visited the museums where their stories are carefully curated, walked along the coasts where their bones are buried, prayed at the churches that gathered their sorrows, celebrated their offspring who stand on their proud shoulders and tell their stories, retraced their steps from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Coast, connected with descendants who have not silenced their songs, learnt to cook their food on their stoves and in their kitchens and soaked up as much as I could about a brave and resilient people who sacrificed life and limb to move mountains and join oceans under the most trying of circumstances at the isthmus of a newly created country called Panamá.

The population of Panamá is only 4 million, much smaller than neighbouring Colombia or Costa Rica. Two million of these inhabitants live in the busy metropolis, Panamá City. A 360 turn brings you views of the Pacific Ocean, the National metropolitan park, colonial buildings in the Casco Viejo district or any one of the 78 international banks jostling for space on the skyline. There is a high standard of living here, despite a very rainy climate, Panamanians enjoy a relaxed lifestyle with a 80% Catholic religion but a freedom to practice various faiths evidenced by the presence of churches, mosques, temples and synagogues. The mixed population smiles easily maybe due to the benefits of their location … at the crossing of the world. With well established ports, plane and sea routes, Panamá is easy to get to and well worth a visit.

On the maternal side, my mothers’ mother’s father, (my great grandfather), shopkeeper, Ren Arthur Brathwaite never returned to Barbados after leaving to seek work in Panamá. Fearing the worst, Adele, on not hearing any news of her husband’s promised return, migrated south with her five children to seek work as a Panamá widow in Trinidad. My grandmother, Angene, at eight years old, was the youngest child of this union. On my father’s side, my grandmothers’ father, George Merritt went to Panamá on a five year work contract, from 1916 to 1920, but was never heard from again. This was my father’s maternal grandfather. It is suspected that George remained in Panamá and started a new branch of the family tree there. The memoirs of both of my great-grandparents are buried with them in Panamá. No one would know if they perished under the harsh, unsafe and unfair labour practices of the time, or if they survived and started new lives and families in Panamá. I do know however that in every geography lesson in secondary school whenever we spoke of the Panamá Canal, I felt that the stories that were being told, were stories that directly linked to me.

Our week in Panamá started with a half day city tour of Panamá La Vieja and Casco Antiguo by Yesenia of Tucaya, one of the warmest and most engaging tour guides that I have ever met on my travels. So knowledgeable, she could not hide her ancestry, love or passion for her Panamá. She brought life to the history of these original spaces.

Even before the Canal, Panamá was a meeting point in the world. The first stop on our second day provided historical context to Panamá’s connections. Portobelo, on the Pacific Coast, was the centre of export from South America to Europe in the 1700s. The mostly leaf canopied two-hour drive with sweetheart Julio (dubbed el Presidente on this trip) brought us to this historic town that is centered around a trifector of ironies. The customs house, for the counting of the precious metals that were stolen from the El Dorados of Peru and Colombia to be shipped to Spain, the two forts that manned the Pacific coast and the ubiquitous Catholic church with a life-sized replica of a Black Jesus which is ornately paraded through the streets of Portobelo every October 21 to the deeply spiritual beats of African drums. At Casa Congo, the miscegenated children of African descendants from the Fundacion Bahia de Portobelo, showed us remnants of a rich culture in song and dance. We did not stay long on the Pacific side and returned to Casco Antiguo the following day to celebrate its 500-year founding, visiting churches and viewing new Panamanians in their ornate Montuno and Pollera attire, clear Spanish derivatives. Before the week ended, we were off to Parque Santa Ana to review food traditions with a cooking demonstration in El Chorrillo, a slum in Panamá, still reeling from an American invasion of 1989. Here, we also visited a popular milliner Mario, who carries on the tradition of the making Panamá hats, erroneously named, since the hats are actually Ecuadorian! We ended the day with a visit to the AfroAntillean Museum of Panamá.

Finally, on the weekend, we made it to the Panamá Canal. We had a tour and partial transit through the Panamá Canal with the boat guide making no mention of the workers who made the marvel possible, but that oversight was corrected at a gala dinner later that day recognizing the contributions of persons who came from all over the world to construct the Panamá Canal. Full circle. Special recognition was made to several persons who contributed to the building of Panamanian culture including Irving Saladino, the only Olympic gold medalist of Panamá. Thanks to mom for accompanying me on this weeklong expedition.

I must make mention of the eeriest part of the week for me and it was not crossing through the Panamá Canal where I envisioned the many West Indian workers at the Culebra Cut as they plowed through mountains by hand to join oceans, but it was walking around the intimate AfroAntillian museum and seeing artefacts of my youth. Symbols that make me West Indian, like the posey, the pressing comb and the coal pot and realizing that the symbols of my grandmother’s house bind me as much to my history as the stories of those who went before me, who took these implements with them on their journey and how they have become our artefacts, compassionately curated in a museum. If I’m being honest, this was my first experience of seeing myself in a museum. I saw people who looked like me with a history that I recognized with experiences that I could relate to. I needed to see this. I didn’t know it before, but I needed these groundings. It was my first realization that as a member of a diaspora, there are things that hold true to who I am, recognizable truths that when you leave home, you never leave your things behind. In some small way, you travel with them and they travel with you.

Panamá turn out to be the morale boost that I did not know that I needed but one that my spirit was greedily craving. I felt this because I cried when I left Panamá, tears of relief and joy. Somewhere along the way, along my way, I had lost my way and this, my first trip to Panamá, was a reminder of what resilience looks like… that no matter what the dream is or where it takes us, or how far away we are, we have things to fall back upon to remind us of who we are, why we do what we do and why we must never ever miss an opportunity to celebrate who we are. We never know what mountains we have to move today to make the world a better place for our future selves tomorrow.

Local specialist: Nadia Horace
Nadia
Nadia Horace
Local specialist in Panama | Replied on Aug 20, 2019
Hello Eca, I am so happy that you had a great experience in Panama. It was my pleasure to meet you and to hear your maternal family history to the point I got goosebumps that probably you were able to meet a family member here.
When I had finished reading your review, I realized the reason why I enjoy so much to work on tourism and to help clients that a trip plan can become a reality and give them a different perspective of my country, Panamá. It is more than just The Panama Canal, it is...
Read more

Hello Eca,

I am so happy that you had a great experience in Panama. It was my pleasure to meet you and to hear your maternal family history to the point I got goosebumps that probably you were able to meet a family member here.
When I had finished reading your review, I realized the reason why I enjoy so much to work on tourism and to help clients that a trip plan can become a reality and give them a different perspective of my country, Panamá. It is more than just The Panama Canal, it is the People, the fauna, flora, and much more.
I apologize that I did not realize that your birthday was on August 18th.
Belated Happy Birthday Eca!!!

Warm Regards,
Monique.

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Aug 3 - Aug 8, 2019

N
noushie a.
Sunnyvale, CA | Reviewed on Aug 20, 2019

I wanted to thank Preeti for being such a patient and helpful travel specialist. She always answered my questions in a timely matter and was very flexible. She really tried her best to accommodate us and I appreciate that. It was a pleasure working with her, she was fantastic.

We had and AWESOME trip. Everything was planned so well and we were able to see and do all the things we wanted to do. All the guides were super friendly and helpful. I would recommend this trip to anyone thinking of going to Iceland. They will help you plan a fantastic trip.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Trip to Nepal
Nepal | Aug 10 - Aug 17, 2019

J
Joanna K.
Austria | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2019

Great experience with excellent organisation. Ang Gelu was a perfect guide. Mny thanks for everything, all discussions and hospitality. Hope to see you next year

Local specialist: Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Ngima
Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Local specialist in Kathmandu | Replied on Aug 25, 2019

Hi Joanna,
Thank you so much for taking out some time to write a review and for sharing your experience with us. Glad to hear that you had a wonderful time during your stay in Nepal.
Look forward to welcoming you again in the near future for your next trip.

Best wishes,
Ngima and NMMT family

Nordic Road Trip for Nature Lovers - 14 Days
Norway | Jul 26 - Aug 10, 2019

C
Chiara C.
Italy | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2019

We had a very great experience in Norway thanks to Ingrid's advices! We planned our trip taking inspiration from "Nordic Road Trip for Nature Lovers - 14 Days", we've been put in contact with Ingrid, who did a great job by adapting the tour to our requests. We've had 16 fantastic days hiking and exploring the most scenic views in southern Norway!
We highly recommend this service, as we're totally satisfied with it.

Local specialist: Ingrid Thornes
Ingrid
Ingrid Thornes
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Aug 20, 2019

Dear Chiara,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review for us. I am so happy that you found my suggestions and recommendations helpful and that you enjoyed a lot of hiking while you where here.

Thanks so much again and welcome back of course!
Ingrid

Trip to Colombia
Colombia | Aug 3 - Aug 11, 2019

Russell
Russell E.
| Reviewed on Aug 19, 2019
Thank you to everyone at Kimkim, especially Cami who was so helpful in putting together my trip to Colombia.
I visited bogota, Santa Marta, Cartegena and did the Lost City Trek.
Cami helped put this altogether as well as arranging trips, tours and transfers meaning all I pretty much had to was get on the plane and the rest was taken care off.
Special mentions to the tour guides of Jhon and Alvaro for showing me around Bogota and Cartegena.
For the Lost City Trek I'd like to thank Denis,...
Read more

Thank you to everyone at Kimkim, especially Cami who was so helpful in putting together my trip to Colombia.
I visited bogota, Santa Marta, Cartegena and did the Lost City Trek.
Cami helped put this altogether as well as arranging trips, tours and transfers meaning all I pretty much had to was get on the plane and the rest was taken care off.
Special mentions to the tour guides of Jhon and Alvaro for showing me around Bogota and Cartegena.
For the Lost City Trek I'd like to thank Denis, Gostavo, Luis and Samir who were amazing guides and helped make the whole adventure truly memorable.
Thank you to Kimkim for being a major part of giving me a fantastic Colombia experience!

Local specialist: Cami Sarmiento
Cami
Cami Sarmiento
Local specialist in Las Vegas, NV | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Hi Russell
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. I'm very happy to hear you had such a great time in Colombia. I'll make sure to share your kind words with everyone.
Thank you again for choosing to travel with us. It was a pleasure to help you organize your trip and we look forward to traveling with you again in the future. Let us know when you plan your next visit to Colombia, or if you ever plan a trip to the Philippines. We’d love to help you plan another unforgettable trip.
All the best,
Cami

Nordic Adventure for Outdoor Lovers | Bergen, Trolltunga, Voss - 5 Days
Norway | Aug 14 - Aug 18, 2019

Alissa
Alissa L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2019
Our travel guide Fridur helped me plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Norway for me and my family. She quickly assessed what types of activities we were interested in and proposed an itinerary that perfectly met our needs. We're adventurous outdoor enthusiasts, so she tailored the Nordic Adventure for Outdoor Lovers to allow us to spend extra time in the beautiful Hardangerfjord area and to change the Trolltunga hike to the Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo. We had an amazing experience and... Read more

Our travel guide Fridur helped me plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Norway for me and my family. She quickly assessed what types of activities we were interested in and proposed an itinerary that perfectly met our needs. We're adventurous outdoor enthusiasts, so she tailored the Nordic Adventure for Outdoor Lovers to allow us to spend extra time in the beautiful Hardangerfjord area and to change the Trolltunga hike to the Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo. We had an amazing experience and look forward to going back to Norway to explore more someday. Having the kimkim team provide local expertise takes a lot of pressure off in planning travel to a new country. Definitely recommend working with them!

Local specialist: Fridur Kjartansdottir
Fridur
Fridur Kjartansdottir
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Hi Alissa, thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review and it was a real pleasure working on this with you! I'm glad to know that you enjoyed your trip and the photos are just amazing!!
Hope to see you back in Norway someday for new adventures! :)

All the best to you and your family
Fridur

Bergen Fjord Adventure - 4 Days
Norway | Aug 14 - Aug 17, 2019

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Sanjiv B.
Australia | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2019

My wife and I visited Norway in August 2019 and Ingrid has been a key part of planning and executing our itinerary. We visited Bergen, Balestrand, Tromso, Lofoten Island and Oslo. Ingrid arranged our local travel visiting fords, Balestrand and then the most beautiful train ride via Myrdal. Ingrid also came to meet us personally at Bergen and walked to the city centre. She is a great asset to her company and I found her extremely helpful. Highly recommend Ingrid and Kimkim,

Local specialist: Ingrid Thornes
Ingrid
Ingrid Thornes
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Deat Sanjiv,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review for us! I am so happy to read that you enjoyed your days in Norway and it was a pleasure meeting you in Bergen!

Thank you so much again for traveling with us and I wish you a great day!
Best,
Ingrid

summer 2019
Armenia | Jul 19 - Jul 30, 2019

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sandy b.
Austin, TX | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2019
Overall - great trip. I was a very passive planner for this trip - my first using a company like KimKim - and I accept some responsibility for the itinerary disappointments - the greatest of which was that we saw way too many cathedrals and monasteries. At one point I told Maro that we were Jewish and would like to visit some Jewish areas or synagogues, which we did on one of our free days after the trip, but there was nothing included in the itinerary. Our driver Achiko was great: he... Read more

Overall - great trip. I was a very passive planner for this trip - my first using a company like KimKim - and I accept some responsibility for the itinerary disappointments - the greatest of which was that we saw way too many cathedrals and monasteries. At one point I told Maro that we were Jewish and would like to visit some Jewish areas or synagogues, which we did on one of our free days after the trip, but there was nothing included in the itinerary.

Our driver Achiko was great: he was helpful and friendly and did "extras" that we appreciated, such as bringing us some of his father's wine and cha cha and his mother's sauce and providing a copy of the Georgian music we heard while in the van. He was always on-time and good-natured. The van was comfortable and clean. His driving was smooth. His English language skills need to be improved.

Due to problems with airlines, we flew out July 19 instead of July 18 which meant that we missed one day in Tbilisi. I took out travel insurance so would like feedback on whether we get a refund for one night at the hotel. I notified Maro of the delay and Achiko was there July 20th at the airport for us.

Our first day with Achiko we went to the history museum and National Gallery - which we LOVED - and some other places like Matsminda park.

Jvari was okay as was Mtsketa... that was early in the trip and we were tired from having a catch a 5:35 am flight the day before.

The Prince Alexander Chavchavadze's museum house was a big disappointment. We were told we would get 5 glasses of wine, and we only received 1. The man serving wine at the museum was unfriendly. The museum was unimpressive, and we received no information about the museum. I told Maro I wanted to visit the wine-growing region. We did - but didn't get to drink any wine or learn about the wine-making process. The visit was a huge disappointment because we drove and drove to arrive in the region... for what? On my own I wandered around and found a fancy hotel that had a wine bar... and I could have sampled wines but it was time to go... big big disappointment.

Uplistsikhe - great! Ushguli - great! Except... we drive around for 1.5 hours trying to find the place we were going to stay. I think Achiko thought Mazeri was the name of a hotel.... who knew it was a village about 30-40 minutes from Mestia? Began to lose our patience... Maro said he had communicated this to me... that we would not be staying in Mestia... I think he should have sent an updated itinerary. He may have sent the "final" itinerary... but I don't think he did.

But Mazeri the next morning was lovely... and the site for several walks 10-12 km that could have been fun to do. But... not on itinerary. Instead we got to "wander" around Ushguli... not quite like hiking/walking I had hoped to do.

Gori was interesting - especially the Stalin museum.

Martivili - no big deal. Lots of rain the day before meant that we didn't get to go on the boat ride (which apparently was not very long anyway). Why did we even go here? WE drove and drove and then walked a tiny big along the paved trail. Don't think this was much of a destination.

Borjormi was interesting... but we never went to the National Park of Borjomi...?? Walked around a park within Borjormi... a city park.... ??

Green Monastery was lovely.

Vardzia and Rabath Fortress were a lot of fun.

Accomodations;

Old Mestia hotel in Tbilisi was great.
The hotel we stayed in 2 different nights in Kutaisi - nice location; lousy mattress.
Bed and breakfast in Marzia was great - lovely hostess.
Rabath Fortress was wonderful in every way.

Food - wonderful!!! Portions were very generous, and we felt guilty for not being able to eat it all. Only not good meal was in Borjomi... we were only ones in restaurant... and we had to order the meal ourselves (which is NOT a problem at all... it is just that the food was provided at all the other restaurants we went to for lunch). To clarify - we did not PAY for the meal - Achiko did... but the whole thing seemed "off". Why was noone else at this restaurant? Why was the food not ready for us... (I know I sound spoiled: I'm not. I just want to give you the feedback that this day was different from the others, in case you didn't know).

Billing: After taking the trip, I realize I would have liked to have received more information on food provided in advance, and also an itemized bill for expenses: hotels; lunches; drivers' fee; etc. We did not know anything about the food we would be receiving (enough for a family of giants) and I don't know how much I paid for what.

Reimbursement: do we receive refunds for anything that we couldn't go - such as our missed night in Tbilisi on July 19 or the lack of a canyon ride in Martvili.

Overall, I appreciate that KimKim did all the research and arrangements so that my husband and i could visit many places in Georgia in a country that we knew very little about. I have never been this passive in planning, and it was a learning experience to travel this way. It was my choice to be passive. I think to improve your services: either an initial phone conversation or more questioning of the travelers would be helpful to flesh out for the trip planner what travel elements are important to the travelers to make sure that they experience those elements in the trip. I really wanted to do a bit of hiking and visit a wine region to learn more about wines in Georgia. Neither really happened. I did see lots of monasteries and cathedrals... but that was never really a priority for me.

Also, I originally wanted to go to Armenia and then changed my mind to go to Georgia. Small detail but Maro is located in Yerevan...????Why was he assigned to plan my trip?

Local specialist: Maro Mkhitaryan
Maro
Maro Mkhitaryan
Local specialist in Tbilisi, Georgia | Replied on Aug 19, 2019
Dear Sandy,
Thank you so much for your detailed feedback, it is really appreciated.
I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay in Georgia.
The local hospitably assumes abundant food and I am glad that you enjoyed Georgian dishes. We do our reservations in advance to save time, the reserve for all the restaurants were done beforehand, the driver just chose the menu and for the payment, it depends on the place weather they accept cash or bank transfer. I am sorry that you didn't visit Martvili due... Read more

Dear Sandy,
Thank you so much for your detailed feedback, it is really appreciated.
I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay in Georgia.

The local hospitably assumes abundant food and I am glad that you enjoyed Georgian dishes. We do our reservations in advance to save time, the reserve for all the restaurants were done beforehand, the driver just chose the menu and for the payment, it depends on the place weather they accept cash or bank transfer.

I am sorry that you didn't visit Martvili due to weather conditions. I have already submitted the application for your refund and you will receive 24$ which is the ticket price for 2 people. What concerns your missed night in Tbilisi, the hotels do not accept last minute cancellations and we paid for the overnight.

I am responsible for planning tours for both in Armenia and in Georgia. We have 2 agencies and I work from both agencies.

Thank you once again for providing us such detailed information, this will help us continuously improve our service. Wish you more new discoveries and memorable experiences! All the best, Maro

Trip to Colombia
Colombia | Jul 28 - Aug 9, 2019

Maria
Maria M.
Clarkesville, GA | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2019
We confirmed our 4 region trip a couple weeks before leaving for Columbia. Our initial consult with Lisa proved quite helpful in narrowing down the regions and activities we wanted to experience. We then were contacted by Chio who handled booking the schedule and was in contact with us throughout the trip to check that everything was going well. All of our drivers and guides were amazing - on time, super friendly and helpful for our family of 4 (mom/dad/2 older teens). Lina in Bogota... Read more

We confirmed our 4 region trip a couple weeks before leaving for Columbia. Our initial consult with Lisa proved quite helpful in narrowing down the regions and activities we wanted to experience. We then were contacted by Chio who handled booking the schedule and was in contact with us throughout the trip to check that everything was going well. All of our drivers and guides were amazing - on time, super friendly and helpful for our family of 4 (mom/dad/2 older teens). Lina in Bogota provided in-depth historical context, local and urban insights to our visits to Monserrat, city walking tour (Botero, etc.), and Salt Cathedral. Jasmine was delightful when we visited the woman-owned coffee farm and guiding us hiking thru the Corcora Valley wax palms pointing out local plants. Jose guided us through the dense jungle on our hike through La Tayrona pointing out animals and local plants along the way to the secluded beach (super refreshing swimming in the clear, blue water). Braulio greeted us at our last stop in Cartagena - he is a wealth of historical, urban, and cultural knowledge -- we toured the city with him 2 afternoons. And we have to mention Carolina - probably one of the most eye-opening / moving experiences of the trip where she took us early morning to Bazurto Market and then to her restaurant (Ohlala) for cooking/eating. The boutique hotels were comfy. Meals were delicious - ginormous portions were the norm! The warm hospitality we encountered from the people we met throughout the 4 regions we visited was amazing! We will definitely visit the country again.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Aug 20, 2019

Hi Maria, how are you?

I'm very glad that you had a great time during your family vacations and that you got to enjoy differents regions and the experiences in each one were worth!

I'll make sure that all your guides and people involved during your time here get your comments and of course, I'll look forward to working with you again and plan your next holiday in Colombia, there's still plenty to see!

Chio

Casablanca to fez and chefcausen
Morocco | Aug 7 - Aug 10, 2019

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Sumi S.
Fairfax, VA | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2019

The agency did a great job of making ensuring my comfort during my time there. My guide mr.hicham was extremely hospitable and courteous. I throughly enjoyed my trip .my only mistake for fly Air Maroc
They delayed my flight and lost baggage and no customer service to help passengers.

Local specialist: Sharon Louthian
Sharon
Sharon Louthian
Local specialist in US and Morocco | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Hi Sumi! So sorry to hear about your trouble with Royal Air Maroc, but glad that you enjoyed your short trip with us (and Hicham) after you arrived! I hope the rest of your time in Morocco has been equally enjoyable and just let us know if you need anything else!

Thanks, again, from the entire Morocco Immersion team!
Best regards,
Sharon

Norway's Cities, Mountains & Fjords - 6 Days
Norway | Aug 11 - Aug 16, 2019

M
Michael R.
Australia | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2019
The trip was very well organised by Andre. I found him to be responsive, friendly and helpful all the way through the process. We needed a change of bike (to an e-bike) at the last minute and he organised it for us. The places we stayed varied in quality. The hotel in Oslo was not bad - the rooms and feel of the place was that it was a little pokey but clean. Reception was frequently overloaded when more than a couple of guests arrived. The hotel in Gielo was pretty good. It was crowded with... Read more

The trip was very well organised by Andre. I found him to be responsive, friendly and helpful all the way through the process. We needed a change of bike (to an e-bike) at the last minute and he organised it for us. The places we stayed varied in quality. The hotel in Oslo was not bad - the rooms and feel of the place was that it was a little pokey but clean. Reception was frequently overloaded when more than a couple of guests arrived. The hotel in Gielo was pretty good. It was crowded with a bus load of tourists and the hotel had a bit of difficulty handling the numbers. The absolutely loved Balestrand and the Midtnes Hotel. The owner of the hotel really took pride in the place and could not do enough for us. We are glad we had two nights there. Bergen is a beautiful little city and we also enjoyed that. The hotel had a lot of difficulty dealing with crowds from bus loads. The staff were very friendly and worked hard but they were unable to deal with the peak periods and the place was bedlam. Our guide David was hilarious. I liked David and his tour because he didn’t really seem to know any detailed history about Bergen but gave us a good idea of the society and life of the Bergen people. It felt like a stroll around the city with a nice guy who knew a bit about the city from living there for many years. His recommendations for a good coffee shop and restaurants were spot on. The restaurant he recommended was Naboen. We loved it. Reasonable prices and very nice food and service. So his tour suited me but would not be for someone really interested in the history of Bergen. My kids thought it hilarious that outside the oldest church he read out a few points straight from the sign next to the church. Thanks again Andre for organising our tour so we’ll.

Local specialist: André Larsen
André
André Larsen
Local specialist in Bergen | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Thank you for the great review. I'm very happy to hear that you have had such a good time in Norway. And thank you very much for the detailed feedback, I really appreciate that. I hope you want to visit Norway again some time.

Laid back, cultural trip
Myanmar | Aug 8 - Aug 14, 2019

Terrence
Terrence Y.
Malaysia | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2019

Great trip throughout. Our guides Aye, Nay and Thin was absolutely fantastic, and we had a lots of fun visiting the beautiful Myanmar. The guides gave us tips to the best vantage points to take our photos.

Local specialist: Anne Cruickshanks
Anne
Anne Cruickshanks
Local specialist in Mandalay, Myanmar | Replied on Aug 18, 2019

Thanks, Terrence, for your kind review of our team and your experience. The photos are simply stunning and capture the beauty of Myanmar so well- thanks for sharing them! I know your travel wish list is extensive but hope you can squeeze in another visit to Myanmar soon so that we can show you other parts of the country!
All the best,
Anne & the Myanmar Pure team

11 days in Colombia
Colombia | Aug 3 - Aug 14, 2019

L
Linda S.
Australia | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019
Laura and Natalia were our travel coordinators.
Many emails were exchanged and many questions were asked and they responded with their knowledge and experience. We were a group of 2 couples requesting specific experiences. The vehicles used were in good condition , clean and comfortable. The guides were informative , flexible and punctual. In particular Victoria, our guide in Bogota was able to gauge our interests and adapted the tours accordingly. Taking us to good restaurants and joining...
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Laura and Natalia were our travel coordinators.
Many emails were exchanged and many questions were asked and they responded with their knowledge and experience. We were a group of 2 couples requesting specific experiences. The vehicles used were in good condition , clean and comfortable. The guides were informative , flexible and punctual. In particular Victoria, our guide in Bogota was able to gauge our interests and adapted the tours accordingly. Taking us to good restaurants and joining us for meals to help us order authentic Colombian dishes. In Cali, Natalia our young Colombian guide was excellent and passionate about showing us her hometown , she gave us a history lesson and made it fun.
Overall, the trip was well planned and organised.
A tip, be very specific and explanatory about the type of experience you want so that Kimkim can match you with the best guides and tours and the style of hotels.

Local specialist: Laura Joy Bowman
Laura Joy
Laura Joy Bowman
Local specialist in Cali, Colombia | Replied on Nov 14, 2019

Hi Linda,

Thank you very much for your kind comments regarding your trip to Colombia with us, I'm really happy you all enjoyed it!

Kind regards from Cali,

Laura

Egypt trip
Egypt | Aug 7 - Aug 11, 2019

J
Jeff H.
Hollywood, FL | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019
The positives:
-Ibrahim planned the very jam-packed tour we hoped for (we had very limited time), and we were able to do everything we hoped for. And when an issue came up with our flights a few weeks before the tour, he was flexible in helping re-arrange some things.
-We were met every time we were supposed to be, and all on time or close to on time.
-The guides were very knowledgeable.
-The guide in Luxor (Ahmed, but the guide in Cairo was also named Ahmed) helped arrange a wonderful...
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The positives:
-Ibrahim planned the very jam-packed tour we hoped for (we had very limited time), and we were able to do everything we hoped for. And when an issue came up with our flights a few weeks before the tour, he was flexible in helping re-arrange some things.
-We were met every time we were supposed to be, and all on time or close to on time.
-The guides were very knowledgeable.
-The guide in Luxor (Ahmed, but the guide in Cairo was also named Ahmed) helped arrange a wonderful evening for us.

Room for improvement:
-The drivers should NEVER, EVER speak on their handheld cell phone when driving.
-There is NEVER a reason to continually quiz the client. This got very old, very fast.
-Both the guides seemed to feel the goal was to spew out as much data, information and trivia as possible. As they were both super knowledgeable, this made it become quite tedious and pretty boring. Telling the historic story, and adding facts and data to put the story in perspective, would have made the tour more fun, interesting and we likely would have learned a lot more if it had been done that way.

Local specialist: Ibrahim Elaref
Ibrahim
Ibrahim Elaref
Local specialist in Cairo | Replied on Aug 17, 2019

Dear Jeff

I sincerely thank you for your feedback that is priceless gift to me in particular and Kim Kim's team in general.
I am truly glad to know that you were satisfied with our travel arrangements and had great time in Egypt.
And I hope to welcome you back in the near future on a new adventure, there are still many things to visit, see and do in Egypt.

Thank you so much once again for traveling with Kim Kim.

Ibrahim

Ghorepani poonhill trek
Nepal | Aug 11 - Aug 16, 2019

Kiin
Kiin K.
Saudi Arabia | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019

My first trekking on Poonhill with kimkim was fantastic from A to Z.
They managed all my itinerary according to my personnel schedual even though sudden circumstance happened due to heavy rain.
My guide, Mr. Angello and Pasang were really specialist to make me comfortable all the time even I was very bigginer on that.
In addition my coordinators, Mr. Tash and his father and his brother, they have absolutely professional attitude to their visitors.
Once again I sincerely would like to recommend someone who want to try trekking in Nepal to be with kimkim. You are never disappointed.

Local specialist: Tashi Sherpa
Tashi
Tashi Sherpa
Local specialist in Kathmandu | Replied on Aug 18, 2019

Hi Kiin,
Thank you so much for writing a wonderful review. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your time during your stay in Nepal and happy with the services provided by our Staff. I will look forward to welcoming you again in the near future for another memorable trip.

Best regards,
NMMT family

Trip to Costa Rica
Costa Rica | Jul 31 - Aug 14, 2019

F
Florence P.
France | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019

My trip has been amazing. Olman perfectly understood my expectations and organized it as well as I could have hoped. Strongly recommended.

Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 19, 2019

Hi Florence!

Happy to hear that your trip was amazing, I hope you enjoyed each experience you had in Costa Rica.
Thanks for your feedback and we hope to see you again in the future.

Pura Vida!
Olman

Local Highlights of Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake - 8 Days
Myanmar | Aug 8 - Aug 13, 2019

S
Su-Lin T.
Singapore | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019
Ms Hsu Hlaing was very closely in touch with us from the get-go. From the planning stage till the end of trip she kept in touch with us and our tour guides as our visit to Myanmar spanned across 3 states. She also customised the trip to our preferences. Eg, we skipped Mount Popa and on hindsight it was a good decision as it was monsoon season and the day slated for it became an e-bike free and easy around Bagan and we were drenched before evening due to heavy rains. She also booked us lovely... Read more

Ms Hsu Hlaing was very closely in touch with us from the get-go. From the planning stage till the end of trip she kept in touch with us and our tour guides as our visit to Myanmar spanned across 3 states.

She also customised the trip to our preferences. Eg, we skipped Mount Popa and on hindsight it was a good decision as it was monsoon season and the day slated for it became an e-bike free and easy around Bagan and we were drenched before evening due to heavy rains. She also booked us lovely accommodations that wished we had more time there!

We loved our trip that (We after all only had 5 nights in Myanmar) we were able to see very much of the attractions despite the 3 transfer flights between cities. We even had free and easy time.

On top of that, on our 2nd last day, we were able to totally change the itinerary on a last minute notice because we discovered vineyards in Inle! So our morning Mountain Biking trip became a lovely market visit and wine-tasting before we flew back to Yangon.

Overall we had a 5-star experience booking through Kimkim and Hsu Hlaing and would recommend this to anyone who wishes to visit Yangon

Local specialist: Hsu Hlaing Phyo
Hsu Hlaing
Hsu Hlaing Phyo
Local specialist in Yangon | Replied on Aug 30, 2019

Hi Su & Jess,

Thank you very much for your lovely review and photos. I will share them with my team, guides and drivers. I'm delighted to hear that you had an amazing time in Myanmar. We would love to welcome you back again!

Kind regards,
Hsu Hlaing

History and exotic Morocco
Morocco | Jul 29 - Aug 4, 2019

C
Catherine V.
Australia | Reviewed on Aug 17, 2019
My husband and I were celebrating several special occasions this year, one being our 25th wedding anniversary and so we decided to do something wonderful to celebrate. That’s how we thought of adding a trip to Morocco to our OS holiday. We are so pleased we did as it was an amazing experience!
Brahim went out of his way to produce a comprehensive travel package, suited to our budget and including as many local sites as possible in the allotted time. Adnane, our driver collected us from our...
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My husband and I were celebrating several special occasions this year, one being our 25th wedding anniversary and so we decided to do something wonderful to celebrate. That’s how we thought of adding a trip to Morocco to our OS holiday. We are so pleased we did as it was an amazing experience!
Brahim went out of his way to produce a comprehensive travel package, suited to our budget and including as many local sites as possible in the allotted time. Adnane, our driver collected us from our Riad in Tanger on time and spoke perfect English so we were instantly relieved and reassured about the trip ahead. We first went to Chefchaouen which was several hours away but as the scenery changed with the climb up the mountains and Adnane provided many interesting commentary the time flew. This turned out to be how the rest of our trip would go as Adnane would not only assure our safe arrival at each destination he also endeavoured to educate, entertain and attend to our comfort/needs at all times. Our guide in Chefchaouen, Abdul, was a local gentleman who walked us through the old Médina pointing out interesting buildings or facts, so we passed a very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon in Chefchaouen. The following day we went to Fes but stopped first at the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. Our guide in Fes, Hafid greeted us and showed us the restaurant he had suggested for us to enjoy dinner that evening. It was perfect!
Our tour of the Médina the following day was an extraordinary experience. It would have been impossible to navigate the labyrinthine corridors without the help of Hafid who not only knew his way around but also every second stall owner, or so it seemed!
From Fes we went to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, then the following day to Casablanca and finally Marrakesh. We saw the third largest mosque in the world at Casablanca, the amazing Hussein II and then also what looked to be the worlds largest outdoor swimming pool we’d ever seen!
This was truly an amazing trip and one filled with fantastic memories and we must thank Brahim and Adnane for making it happen for us.

Local specialist: Brahim Bourrich
Brahim
Brahim Bourrich
Local specialist in Agadir | Replied on Aug 29, 2019
Salam Catherine, Thank you very much for taking the necessary time to share your trip's feedback with me and with my travelers. I am extremely happy to read about your travel experience and to feel your love to each day, service, and also the warm feelings you get back home with from the local people. Each one of my local providers has been informed right away which is a great step in building a superb relationship together especially that they have a critical role in achieving the best... Read more

Salam Catherine,

Thank you very much for taking the necessary time to share your trip's feedback with me and with my travelers. I am extremely happy to read about your travel experience and to feel your love to each day, service, and also the warm feelings you get back home with from the local people. Each one of my local providers has been informed right away which is a great step in building a superb relationship together especially that they have a critical role in achieving the best lifetime experience for my travelers. The employees and their bosses are always super happy to receive feedbacks :)

Last but not least, please allow me to thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart for joining our trusted community and for your priceless recommendations. I am inviting you to think about your next trip to Morocco soon! Together we can plan another unique dream for you :)

I am always at your disposal,
Brahim

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Jul 22 - Aug 2, 2019

S
Saralu E.
Kansas City, MO | Reviewed on Aug 16, 2019
What an experience! Our family thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Iceland. No one, from the youngest to the oldest (ages 4 to 77), has had any negative comment.
We were there almost twelve days and really needed more time. Well, I suppose that will have to happen in a subsequent trip. We were pretty much seeing the southwest quadrant of the island, doing all the activities requested and then some. Halldor was an excellent tourist agent. It must have been quite a feat to pull together such...
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What an experience! Our family thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Iceland. No one, from the youngest to the oldest (ages 4 to 77), has had any negative comment.
We were there almost twelve days and really needed more time. Well, I suppose that will have to happen in a subsequent trip. We were pretty much seeing the southwest quadrant of the island, doing all the activities requested and then some. Halldor was an excellent tourist agent. It must have been quite a feat to pull together such a nice trip following our (probably strange) requests that included the interests of every individual in this family. He succeeded in doing so. He even made certain that the vehicle in which we would be traveling would be booster seat compliant for the children. Kimkim, your organization has a real treasure in this local specialist!
The lodging was very nice, family-friendly, with nice dining facilities and delightful breakfasts. I was particularly impressed by the fact that most places had an area for young children to entertain themselves while still in sight of their parents.
Our guide, Mr. S, was most accommodating to the various members of our family. He was a good choice! I never heard one complaint, even from the four-year old. Mr. S came up with activities to supplement our experiences, from the requests and questions we asked. There was plenty of participation from the oldest to the youngest. If a question arose concerning our reservations at any previously-scheduled part of our trip, Mr. S got it straightened out. He directed us when, mid-trip, we needed to have our laundry done, locate a postal facility or a bank, etc.

One person had a birthday during the trip. Mr. S oversaw the request of the two children to pick berries, and he prepared a cake to celebrate using those berries. It was delicious! He also recommended museums, eateries, woolen/gift/souvenir shops, and all of the things that one likes to become acquainted with when traveling. I thought that perhaps there would be too much time allotted to rest in the afternoons, but that was definitely not the case.
Everything we did was memorable because of the planning and direction of Halldor and the suggestions of Mr. S. We chased sheep, pointed out "dead" horses, climber a crater, fed retired horses, rode horses, took a sled-on-wheels ride pulled by huskies, counted seals, relaxed in various geothermally heated pools, watched geysers, identified birds, hiked lava fields into a lava cave, saw mushroom production before eating probably the best mushroom soup any of us had ever had, ate hot dogs and more hot dogs, walked to a waterfall, straddled a rift in the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia, visited a museum a day I think, trolls, history of this country, Vikings, and the list goes on . This is not a trip any of us will ever forget, nor do we wish to do so; therefore, Get ready Kimkim, Halldor, and Mr. S. It may take awhile, but this family will probably be back! Thank you for everything you did to make our trip memorable.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Trip to Norway
Norway | Aug 2 - Aug 12, 2019

Jono
Jono T.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Aug 16, 2019

Overall the trip was great. The activities were fantastic and varied, and it was all relatively seamless. 2 areas of feedback:

1. Some of the hotel information wasn't provided until a little later, so it gave us a little anxiety since it was our first time using the service.
2. The first hotel took payment from us even though the hotel was paid by kimkim. I think that was the hotels fault though.

Besides those 2, I am very satisfied with the service!

Local specialist: Julia Plaschke

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
Customize your trip with the help of a local travel specialist

Kimkim has handpicked the world’s top local travel specialists so you will have peace of mind and an unforgettable trip that meets your exact requirements.

Authentic travel experiences

Kimkim’s local specialists ensure that you will have the best experience based on up-to-date local insights. On top of that, the vast majority of your money will go straight to support and grow local economies.

Secure & easy booking

Once you are happy with the trip, you can easily book via kimkim’s secure payment platform.

Local support during your trip

You can always reach your local specialist with a quick message or call in case you hit a snag during your trip, or simply want some great local recommendations.