Kimkim Trip Reviews

First, Yassine, It is a marvel to us how responsive, helpful and really personally concerned you seemed to be for the complete success of our trip. We are hard pressed to think of any better experience we’ve ever had with any service provider in travel. We are deeply grateful for your help kindness and friendship

Our guides were really superb, and an absolutely essential key to what was for us one of the trips of a lifetime.

Yousef really did make Marrakech accessible, immediate and “real” for us. His knowledge is vast, and he shared a great deal. His handling of our food tour made for one of the most memorable nights of the trip. He is skillful and friendly, (if sometimes a bit distracted or preoccupied).

Then Adile in Fes was truly a highlight of our entire trip. He is a quiet but profound master of information, history, context and at the same time an immediate and intimate part of the neighborhoods he showed to us. Thoughtful, deeply connected and funny. And he shared that intimacy with us with extreme and subtle generosity. We respect him very much.

The accommodations you found were absolutely first rate and the people around them extremely professional and helpful. Our drivers were friendly interesting and engaging.

It was an especially nice touch to have Yassine’s brother Hassan meet us in Fes with a welcome gift and careful advice about how to manage our extraordinary visit there.

If we have one piece of constructive feedback, it would be that you might have the guides spend a little time really trying to discern whether we want to be exposed to various merchant demonstrations. We understand that this is something probably most of your customers do want – and that it is probably also an important part of the economic viability of the business. However there were a couple of occasions on which we were presented with lengthy demonstrations in merchants that we had said we simply weren’t interested in only to sense that our decision not to make a purchase was significantly frustrating or disappointing to the merchant – and the guide. We understand that this is probably a difficult balancing act, and that your customers will sometimes surprise themselves by actually being interested in and making a purchase at one place or another. (As we did in buying a modest fountain in Fes). I think the key is to ensure that at the end of the transaction – whether the sale is made or not, we as the customers do not feel that we may have disappointed our guide or the merchants and perhaps changed the mood of the tour for a bit.

All in all, we could not be more happy with or grateful for your services. And we have already made what we believe will be a successful referral to you directly as soo all in all, we could not be more happy with our grateful for your services. And we have already made what we believe will be a successful referral to you directly Yassine.

Thank you again.
PS, would it be of any help to you to post the positive parts above to TripAdvisor?

Best Mark & Sheila Kenney

Great experience throughout. Our driver very courteous and he drove safely.
Only comment was the bus had no air conditioning in the front which meant front windows were open much of the time and this reduced the efficiency of the air conditioning in the back.
I would be happy to recommend Kim Kim to any other potential travellers.

My wife and I had the most amazing time travelling around Norway, this was very easily the best trip we've ever taken. We got to see some amazing sights, untouched beauty, and explore Norway in a way that its meant to be. Through our entire journey, we took trains, busses and ferries which gave us the opportunity to see some of the most stunning landscapes imaginable.

Fridur did such a good job of putting all this together, she was very responsive and always full of suggestions on what we could do. We started off in Oslo and then travelled to Bergen via Geilo, Flam, and Balestrand - which had to be the most memorable place in our trip. Our hotel room had the most amazing view of the Fjord and snowcapped mountains which made it something I'll never forget. We had a great time with Balestrand Fjord Adventure when we went out sightseeing on the rib boat. I recommend them to anyone looking to see the fjords in a more fun way. When we got to Bergen we had a very nice walking tour of the city centre with David Pavels. He was funny, informative, and had so many interesting stories about life in Bergen and Norway. Sadly he doesn't have a TripAdvisor page or I would have written him a review.

Overall, Kimkim did a fantastic job of putting our Norwegian holiday together and if all their trip experts are as good as Fridur, we'd be more than happy to use their services once again on our next adventure.

All pretty special. Hasan, our driver for all our longer trips was fantastic. Helpful, informative and very safe driver.

My son and I were planning for a trip to Norway in early October, without knowing that it was the period in-between Summer and Winter when the standard Norway Nutshell tours were not available. Then we came across Kim Kim Travel and decided to give it a try.

The decision won us a wonderful trip. Our specialist Andre was instant with his responses. He was thoughtful in planning for our itinerary, and patient in answering my endless questions and requests. He even provided maps indicating where, when and how to go for our cruises, trains, taxis, etc. This provided the assurance I needed, and a promising start.

All arrangements on our 6-day Fjord trip from Oslo to Bergen went as smooth as silk. We enjoyed in particular the waterfront cabin at the Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri Hotel in Aurland, and the delightful room at the Midtnes Hotel in Balestrand, both of which provided panoramic view of the Sognefjord. It was not a trip which would make one bubble with excitement; it was one which was so scenic and tranquil that it felt like being in paradise. And all these due in no small part to Andre!

We had the most magical experience in Bhutan. Vishal did a terrific job planning for us and our two children. Our guide Jem was very knowledgeable and warm and also was great with our kids. He was constantly entertaining them (and the grown ups). We loved Jem and our driver Karma was also great (which is important on the narrow and windy roads in Bhutan). Vishal picked great hikes for us and great lodging - including a historic house in Haa and a homestay in Paro with a family that had a son the same age as our son (they had so much fun). We enjoyed having dinner with Vishal and his wife Sonam. We loved, loved, loved Bhutan and we are already talking about when we can come back. Vishal and Jem were a huge part of this being such a great experience.
I would also highly recommend the Kim Kim app because it was so easy to use and communicate.
As a side note I never write reviews for anything so the fact I am for this experience should say a lot! We are very experienced travelers around the world and I will definitely use the Kim Kim app a second time.
Delaney

Iceland was an amazing experience for my husband and I. We will never forget about it! Everywhere we go had a breathtaking vista: the nature on the island is perfect and silent. We ran into a few travelers that were there during the same week, visiting the same places. I guess that's a common thing in Iceland, because all you wanna do, as a foreign, is to enjoy the beauty. Pauline helped us every time we needed her and her information was always accurate.

I booked a trip to Vietnam with Ms. Thuy and she set everything up. We set off in Hanoi and out guide was great. He knew the area and was knowledgable about the sites we saw. We then had a few days in Tuy Hoa which we did ourself. This agency lets you customize trips to your liking and needs. I love that. We ended our trip in Saigon which was great too. Guide was great and was knowledgable. I would recommend Kim Kim. Great trip planning experience.

Thuy was simply amazing. She was attentive and available at all times in the planning process and on our trip. Everything was seamless from our drivers picking us up on time to the expert guides and the lovely accommodations, we really could not have asked for more. My husband and I typically plan our own trips but with recent busy work schedules we really needed someone to step in and make sure all the details were nailed down & Ms Thuy did this flawlessly. She was willing to let us customize the trip to our liking and not have a guide at every pick up so we could explore on our own. When there was a guide, they were always super knowledgeable and friendly. We can't say enough about our experience with KimKim and what a pleasure it was to work with Ms. Thuy. We were sad to leave Vietnam.

Robert did a wonderful job listening to our requests and matching us up with accommodations and a guide that fit perfectly. He went over and above in helping us out when we had a little snafu with transportation.

Goran was a knowledgeable, fun and interesting guide. He was able to adjust plans easily based on weather and our schedule.

We hope to spend more time in Croatia and would use both ROBERT and Goran again.

I am so thankful for all the help that Kimkim has provided for my trip. The trip was booked at the very last minute and had a lot of twists and turns. I don't think our family enjoyed the trip as much as we did if we haven't have Isabel and our trusted guide, Christian. Isabel worked before and after her normal working hour to help me when a national strike by transportation works paralyzed the country for a couple of days. Christian educated our family on food, custom, history and geography with his kind manners and excellent knowledge. I would definitely consider working with Kimkim for our next adventure. Thank you!

It has been an amazing experience visiting Cambodia for a two week period..
To start with a lot of communication was exchanged with Steve and he was quick in understanding what experience we were looking for and he soon suggested the itinerary. With some changes we were assured of a great time and could not wait to get there.
Dy our guide for the Siem Reap circuit and Sreylen for the Phnom Penh circuit were knowledgeable and took care of the plan. The drivers of both circuits were brilliant and made sure the whole itinerary was covered in full but at the same time were flexible enough to ensure the balance between hactic schedule and free pleasure time. All the accomodation were hand picked and were exclusive and luxurious.
A thoroughly enjoyable trip that we will remember for years to come.
Bharat & Hansa

We had a great time and learned a lot in this trip. The drive guide was wonderful in highlighting the major points. Having gotten stuck on some rainy day’s with gale force winds (who knew waterfalls could fall up?) we found drier locations to visit. The Bjarnarhöfn shark museum was inexpensive, interesting and a whole lot of fun. The lava museum on the way to Vik was a little more modern museum but still helped us to spend part of a very rainy day. We enjoyed all our hotels except hotel Fron. Our favorite had to be hotel Hamar where we had close access to hot tub, played Iceland trivia and enjoyed taking with our waiter. The issue with Hotel Fron was that we arrived late in the evening from a long day East of Vik and the day clerk was completely unhelpful about parking and getting us situated. We understood after the fact that our attitude probably wasn’t the greatest but she also made no effort to help calm us or make us feel welcome. To improve our mood we found the Lebrowski bar where Patrick from Poland invited us to join him in shots of jagermeister!
Our two Glacier tours were fantastic. The blue ice experience from Icelandic mountain guides was great! Agatha was a great guide and made sure the whole group got photos and was safe as we climbed the glacier! The Katlatrak ice cave tour was very different then what we had envisioned (thought we would be deeper in the glacier (and drier) but completely amazing nonetheless! Disappointing that the laki whale watching was rained out (see shark museum) as we might of had better success there then out of Reykjavík where we were unsuccessful at seeing any mammals (did see birds).
Thanks for setting up a great itinerary! We enjoyed all of our experiences.

I cannot fault the quality of service provided by Amanda.
Planning a trip to Jordan is quite a daunting task. It was also going to be our honeymoon so the pressure was on!

My partner and I aren't the most organised people in the world, so we only started to look into planning our trip a couple of months before our wedding. Unsurprisingly, this was a very busy time for us...!

As soon as got in touch via kimkim, Amanda immediately took on the burden of honeymoon planning. She was efficient, and it comforted me to know that she was based in Jordan. She listened and delivered on our requirements, always with a great attitude. What's more, when she found out it was our honeymoon, she seemed genuinely enthused and motivated to make sure our trip was extra special.

We also found all the documentation super helpful - the detailed schedules, the maps etc.

Her attentiveness did not stop once we arrived in Jordan. Amanda made a point of checking in with us at all the right times. Each time we spoke, she was not only professional, she was friendly and personable. Thanks to her, we even managed to get a hotel room upgrade at our hotel in Amman (House Boutique Suites) - the room was HUGE!

5 days into our trip we had some issues with the owner of the Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel. The owner was extremely rude to us, which was particularly disappointing as we were really looking forward to this experience. However, Amanda handled the situation perfectly. As promised, she was available on Whatsapp at all hours, and immediately responded when we got in touch with her to explain the situation. It didn't go unnoticed that this all unfolded outside of office hours on a Thursday evening (start of the weekend in Jordan). She said and did all the right things within her control, which meant that we were quickly appeased despite the unfortunate situation.

Outside of this one negative experience, I must say that everyone else - from the upgrade at The House Boutique Suites, to the surprise flowers and cake gifted to us at the Petra Bubble Luxotel - were truly hospitable and thanks to Amanda, gave us special attention knowing that we were honeymooners.

Special mentions must also go to Ahmad, our driver, who was brilliant. He was a smooth driver, and his knowledge of all the roads throughout Petra was nothing short of impressive. Ahmad also went the extra mile - he bought us some personalised honeymoon gifts in Jerash, he provided us with cold water and snacks throughout our journey, and really made the effort to make us feel that he was at our service the whole time.

Our personal guide in Petra, Mahmoud (I hope I have the correct spelling!) was phenomenal. He really knew his stuff, and despite the fact he must conduct the same tour several times a day/week, he was so knowledgeable and sincerely passionate in recounting his stories and in educating us on the history of this amazing place.

All in all, we couldn't be happier. Thank you Amanda for making this an experience that will always hold a special place in our hearts.

What an amazing tour. From the moment we considered this trip Shalindra offered assistance. We catered everything to our wants and our dreams were fulfilled. Kapudeh (forgive the spelling) was informative and helpful but also intuitive, giving us time to breath, time to enjoy and time to sit back and watch the amazing scenery of Sri Lanka pass by. Our guide went above and beyond. We stopped where we wanted, ate what we wanted and shopped where and when we wanted. We loved the Leopard Safari, the Elephant Safari and the home cooked meals in a working farm. The tea plantations were amazing. The hotels were all great but our favourites were Deer Park and Fern Gully. Deer because it was first class with first class food (dodgy internet but worth it for the breathtaking location. Fern because it offered an oasis of quiet. The grounds were spectacular and the peace was blissful. With only a couple of rooms, this hotel offered privacy in an old, authentic, colonial building. We met the happiest man on earth who worked there. Shalindra, you offered us a great trip and we received a spectacular one. Thank you

Thank you and your team for putting together a wonderful experience for Fiona and I through Jordan and Lebanon. There were so many memories made that will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan and Lebanon.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies that we tried as well. We will be making at home “lemon juice with mint” this Australian summer, now that we the traditional recipe.

The time that we spent with Farris, our Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum, was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. He was just amazing! Our 'back door' hike in to the Petra monastery with our Bedouin guide was also a memorable experience and not too difficult / stressful a climb; perhaps it was actually easier that the walk up the stairs to the monastery!!!

The 'float' in the Dead Sea was also a unique experience.

We cannot recommend highly enough the countries of Lebanon and Jordan to visit and based upon our personal experiences with Lena, we would encourage people to book their tailor-made trip through KimKim Travel.

Stuart & Fiona
Australia
October 2019

We had a fantastic 10 day trip throughout Japan! Alan, Gibwa, and Katherine were wonderful to work with. They were quick to respond and very thorough. They created a custom journey with many of the must-see highlights as well as some hidden treasures. Some highlights were our bike tour through Takayama with our guide Taka. The festival float exhibition hall exceeded expectations and we'd love to go back and experience the exhibition. Our cooking class in Kyoto was a blast! We had a wonderful conversation and long walk through Nishiki Market, a surprise stop at a sake brewery followed by an informative and delightful class where we made sushi and miso soup. The Edo Wonderland was a bit underwhelming for us, but might be a great activity for a family. We would've been happy using that time to explore more of Tokyo. Overall it was a fantastic trip and we would highly recommend Kim Kim and Kichi Japan in the future. Gibwa and Katherine it was wonderful to meet you in person! Thank you for everything!

All the hotels were great. All but 2 transportation arrangements went off without a flaw. Overall, we are very pleased with our visit to Norway. I am thankful that Ingrid helped me to arrange everything!

In Oslo, we liked the Thon Europa more than the Thon Spectrum. The Europa had a better breakfast buffet, was an easier walk from the train station & the neighborhood seems a bit better. Next door to the Europa is the Brunello Ristorante. You should recommend this to others! This was some of the best Italian food we have ever had.

The Hurtigruten lobby is on a small side street and was not obvious. If possible, maybe provide a bit more detailed map. Since it's so late, there are not people around to ask for help. We did find it, but we had our concerns for a few minutes!

The bus & ferry to Geiranger was very enjoyable. The ferry back showed us some gorgeous scenery. We very much enjoyed that day.

The time with John Grahl-Madsen was not time well spent. He just didn't seem engaged. On other trips, in other countries, we have had guides who have made a significantly better impression. During planning, I had expressed an interest in going up the funicular. He pointed it out & said we could do that on our own. Our itinerary didn't allow time for that.

The ferry from Bergen to Aurland was a great way to move locations and see more of the scenery.

Aurland: you are already aware of the issue with the taxi company. I'm not sure what options there are, but I would suggest finding other options for sightseeing & transport to Flam. I'm very glad that the taxi did eventually show up that morning so we were able to see the Borgund Stave Church. That was very special. The Fisherman's Cabin at Vangsgaarden was charming with a view that was magnificent. It was a little surprising that we had to make our own beds, strip them at check-out, sweep the floor, take out the garbage, & do a light cleaning of the bathroom.

Flam to Oslo by train: Our itinerary was that we made this trip on September 24. No one looked at our tickets Flam to Myrdal. Myrdal to Oslo we learned that our tickets were for September 23. The conductor found 3 unsold seats for us and allowed us to stay on the train.

Oslo: We had a tour with Stig Frislid Torset. He was better than John, but again we have had better. Our travel companion had been told by a friend of Norwegian descent to try a specific type of pastry. Stig found a shop that sold it for her. We requested that we see the Vigeland Sculpture Park. He commented that was not normally what he did, but if that's what we wanted ... we said we did. He did have interesting commentary about some of the sculptures. Afterwards, he showed us some of the "hidden gems" that he normally focuses on, which included Grass Roots Square. Grass Roots Square is very special & we were very glad that we saw it.

I would recommend Kimkim to others. Thanks for your help in creating a memorable trip for us.

We had an amazing trip, thanks largely to Moroccan Immersion Tours and Adventures and to the help of Sharon (who helped us plan our 6 day itinerary) and to Abdou, who was our gracious, informed, and unfailingly cheerful guide. We contacted KimKim only about 4 weeks before our trip and were quickly connected with Moroccan Immersion/Sharon. Sharon was extremely helpful -- and patient! -- in recommending options for our 6 day trip, jumping on the phone with me at least a few times for me to ask (many) questions, and to flexing on timing/price when we needed to reduce our total costs. The tour itself was wonderful -- a mix of 'typical' experiences (e.g., walks around the souks in Marrakech) coupled with unique and differentiated experiences that Moroccan Immersion helped arrange (e.g., a visit to a women's rug making cooperative followed by lunch with the 3 rug weavers; spending a night in a luxury desert camp coupled with a pre-dawn hike up the mountain to see the sunrise). Abdou was a real pleasure to have as a guide -- his love for and knowledge of his country and his heritage is impressive, and really came across in the tour. Abdou also did a great job of connecting us to local guides (e.g., in Marrakech, in Taroudant), who were equally knowledgeable and friendly. In all, I would highly, highly recommend Moroccan Immersion if you are interested in planning a trip to this remarkable country.

Hello Chio,

We had a great time, just as we had wanted it. Highlights, were the guided tour in Medellin. Gorgona diving, Bazurko market, the seamless transfers and the nice hotels, particularly Bioxury and Ananda. However there were often unnecessary early starts that put us at the airports around 3 hours before the due time of flight departure.

We really appreciated your help and availability during our trip, the welcome by Jules at the airport and the most useful SIM card. We have lots of wonderful and unforgettable memories from this trip so a big thank you to you and your team.

Let me know if you’d like further information.

Erick