Kimkim Trip Reviews

India was a culture shock. We were constantly surprised, and had a thrilling time learning. We saw so many world heritage sites, we ate so much great food, we had so many incredible experiences. All of this was possible only because of our team. Or driver in the north Puron was indispensable, he safely navigated streets and traffic that we found intimidating (terrifying at times) without any difficulty, just another day. Add to that his excellent knowledge of the country and his charming demeanor, he was a cornerstone of our trips success. Additionally the office team was incredible, they helped us plan a action packed trip (just the way we like it) and when there was trouble, like our flight being canceled 30 min before it was supposed to board, they were on it, 20 min later we had new flights, they helped us reschedule events on the fly, and made excellent recommendations. The local guides they chose for us were always professional and knowledgeable. They went to great lengths to make sure we had an excellent time, doing things like explaining how to get through long lines, and advocating for us in crowded, and tense situations. We are very happy with this experience. Would use again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Pride Plaza Aerocity

Delhi

close to the airport. Easy check in and check out, very clean and comfortable.

Abad Turtle Beach Resort

Mararikulam, Alappuzha, Kerala

Great spot, nice room, lots of little fun things, like the butterfly garden. Food was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Character for days

Location

Strangest part of our India trip was how empty the beach was here. Almost no one on the beach or in the water. It beautiful sand positioned perfectly to watch the sunset. So strange to have there be no one there. But also very peaceful.

Staff

one time a front desk person chased us for a 1/4 mile to hand us some keys. She could have shouted to get our attention but didn't want to seem rude. They really took good care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Houseboat

an incredible experience. Lots of comforts for a boat

Authenticity & Character

Location

traveled the back waters and made sure not to have the sun in our face for all parts of the journey

Staff

Great cook, and a captain that left us with no worries. Even though they spoke little English we never had any issues.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of. My one note if anyone is reading this is to remember to bring your own alcohol. We were told there wouldn't be any and so were able to plan ahead. I'm from Wisconsin, I'm not getting on a boat without a beer.

Fragrant Nature Kochi

Kochi

great place, great new years party!

Authenticity & Character

beautifully decorated lobby with plants.

Location

close to all the historic attractions, very walkable.

Staff

helpful, curious, friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

it's hot and humid in Cochin, but we were always happy in the hotel. rooftop pool area was particularly lovely

Narain niwas palace

Jaipur

a beautiful place, but it's historic nature came with some downsides. Power was unreliable, and we were on the top floor without an elevator, this was difficult for some in our party. But great food, great location, excellent staff

Authenticity & Character

more character then I have ever experienced

Location

close to all the sights

Staff

obviously take great pride in their hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean! yes very much so. Comfort was a little more difficult because of the age of the building. But would stay again

Hotel Dev Vilas, Ranthambore

Great experience, lots of little customer service extras, truly lovely

Authenticity & Character

Location

quick drive to safari pick up

Staff

really good, they were very aware of us and our schedules, made sure we got dinner if out late, hot towels to wipe off the dust of safaris when we got back. Lovely holiday celebration,

Cleanliness & Comfort

hot water bags in the bed!!! never knew something could be so cozy

Grand Mercure Agra

Agra, UP

Comfortable hotel with great staff

Authenticity & Character

saxophone playing Santa really did it for me

Location

easy access to the fort and the tomb

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zone Connect by The Park

Authenticity & Character

It's a modern hotel that was nicely situated downtown

Location

right next to a mall and many food options

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bathe, Paint and Feed- A life-time experience with elephants at Elephantastic

Jaipur

Elephants have been rescued and are living a different life now at the enclosure. They were very docile and happy to take food from us (they knew the drill) We loved getting to make eye contact, give them scratches and in general interact with such an intelligent beautiful animal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

would like to have learned more about the elephant we were with "Lucky"

Morning and Evening game drives at Ranthambore (Sharing Jeep):

Ranthambore

Reserving early to get a Gypsy would have been better, but I really can't complain, we saw a tiger and a couple leopards and a jackal, and mongoose, and owls and deer and eagles, and it delivered. It was also very uncomfortable but you don't notice when the animals are out

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guides often only knew one or two things about each animal, they were not wildlife experts and were not fluent in English. Probably the guides in Gypsies know more. They were good at pointing animals out

Transport

the Canters were packed, as a 6' guy I was folded into my seat in a vehicle with seemingly no suspension. To be succinct, canters suck.

Explore the marvelous and historic monument : Agra Fort

Agra

Didn't even know this existed, but it's arguably more amazing than the Taj. Loved it, loved learning about it.

Contrary to previous experiences with KimKim, this trip was full of missed details and frustrating, last minute, expensive scrambles for transfers. It was very different from my previous trip to Turkey, where everything was impeccably planned and the communication was flawless. On the bright side, Norway was beautiful and the people were lovely and so kind. It’s just a shame that the overall quality of the trip was diminished by the poor planning and communication.

This was our third trip using Kim Kim, and generally speaking we have always received outstanding service, which was why working with Maria was so shockingly disappointing. From the start, Maria was not responsive to our requests and there were an alarming amount of details there were not addressed. For example, in previous trips, all of our transfers were scheduled and included as part of our package, where as with this trip, no transfers had been set up and no transfers were included as part of the package - something we did not realize until late in the planning process. One of the reasons we use Kim Kim is because of the seamlessness and peace of mind knowing that all of the details have been taken care of. When we inquired about one of the major transfers in our trip, Maria suggested we rent a car, at a huge additional expense, which would have been a 9 hour drive, through mountainous, winter conditions. I find this to be ludicrous for a travel expert to suggest. Due to the last minute planning of these details, we ended up having to take 3 flights to reach our destination. At one point during our trip, we had inquired about canceling an excursion. Our local guides never checked in to ask why we wanted to cancel or if there was something going on that we needed help with. It turns out the excursion ended up being canceled by the tour company (who ended up contacting us directly) and it took Kim Kim more than 3 hours to inform us of this cancellation. Before, during, and after our trip, Maria never reached out once to check in and see how things were going. Again, this has not been our previous experience with Kim Kim. The draw of using Kim Kim, who uses local experts, would imply useful information and tips for the areas and destination, and that was completely absent in this trip. For example, that it was recommended we walk from the train station to our hotel in downtown Oslo rather than being over charged by a local Taxi driver. I can go on and on. Additionally, we had an issue with checking into one of the hotels where the clerk had questions about charging the credit card on file. We tried to reach out to Kim Kim and the emergency line and could not get through. On the bright side, we loved Norway as a destination. The excursions were fantastic and fun. We had requested to stay at Sorrisniva, the Holman Husky Lodge, as well as take the Havila Capilla and they certainly did not disappoint, We would highly recommend each of these stays/experiences. The dog sledding with Trasti & Trine, was a particular highlight and an amazing experience. All in all, despite the unexpected challenges working with Maria presented, we loved our time in Norway, and found the local people to be friendly and kind. Sadly, if this had been my first and only experience with Kim Kim, I probably would never use this company again, as in this case, there was no added value.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Kirkenes

Kirkenes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holmen Husky Lodge

Alta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge

Alta

Simply amazing hotel! Everything about our experience exceeding our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dogsledding Day Trip

Alta

This was the most amazing experience of our entire trip. The dogsledding was such an authentic experience. The owners of the company took us out themselves and we had such an enjoyable conversation with them about their own 'professional' competitive experiences dogsledding. Truly amazing. We would do this again in a heart beat. Highly recommend. To top it off, the owners are a Michelin Star chef and provide lunch of the trip. They have their own restaurant and bar on site. Amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

King Crab Safari from Kirkenes during Winter

Kirkenes

This was the most disappointing excursion we experienced on our trip. Not necessarily the fault of the tour company. The weather was too warm, and the ice was not frozen enough for us to actually get to experience the king crab fishing ourselves. We had to stand at a far off distance, while the staff went and picked up the king crabs. Of course, we still enjoyed a lovely dinner of the fresh crabs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Chile - the country is truly spectacular. Our travel coordinator Marcela was excellent, she listened to what we wanted and adapted the itinerary as needed when torrential rains and an injury required some shifts. She even brought over some medications and offered to help in the hospital with translation after a badly sprained ankle interrupted our plans. She also coordinated in-country travel for us after our initial start in Argentina and not having to worry about airport pick up and drop off was very helpful.

We enjoyed hiking, white water rafting and kayaking in Puerta Varas - Ko Kayak was awesome for rafting (we have done this a lot and the rain made this the best rafting trip we have ever done). Our guides everywhere were great - especially Catalina (rafting), Juan Miguel (hiking and planned biking until ankle accident) and Paz (kayaking on Reloncavi fjord). We stayed at the Kalfu Hotel which was a good location for walking and offered excellent breakfasts and comfortable rooms.

In Puerta Natales we did 2 days of trekking in Torres del Paine with W-Circuit and they were great. Tour guides Alex (3 shorter hikes of 2 hours each) and Pablo (Base Torres Hike) were very good. Come prepped with the right shoes and gear and be prepared for 4 seasons in one day. We saw quite a few people turn around on the Base Torres hike which is long (22km). We then kayaked and rock climbed with Jorge from Patagonia Adventures. He was superb and we especially enjoyed pushing our comfort boundaries with the rock climbing which was awesome (we have never climbed outdoors before). We stayed at the Weskar Lodge for most of the time (truly superb food) and had one night at the Best Western which was much better than that chain is in the US.

Our final night in Santiago, we had dinner in a local home with Gloria and Leo - great food and wine pairings and even better conversation. We highly recommend. We appreciated this idea that Marcela suggested!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Kalfu Hotel Boutique

Puerto Varas

Very comfortable hotel with a helpful and friendly staff. The only reason not to have a 5 star rating is that we were on the lower level with a patio (lovely) but it was darker as it was fairly rainy while we were there. Very good breakfasts. Great location for walking around town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk to town and restaurants

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Comfortable rooms with a great view. Really great service and fantastic breakfasts. Their meals were truly outstanding - we hadn't expected to stay at the hotel for dinner but the food was so good that we ate 3 dinners there. The only downside is being a bit far for walk to town but Uber was easy and available as needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Dinner

Santiago

This was a cool thing to do for our last night in Santiago. We were picked up by our host and his friend Felipe who was our guide for the night. Gloria was the cooking whiz and Leo managed the wine and music. We drove into the city center and to Leo and Gloria's home where we had a 4 course dinner and wine tasting with Chilean music. The food was excellent and teh conversation was even better. They are warm and gracious hosts and very welcoming. Felipe did a great job explaining and translating as needed (we enjoyed practicing our Spanish) and we talked about all kinds of subjects. Highly recommend for people willing to branch out and try something new!

Quality of Experience

Great food and very welcoming and gracious hosts and guide

Food

Homemade empanadas, a ceviche, roast and potatoes and a tart with several Chilean wines

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rock Climbing in Patagonia

Puerto Natales

This was AMAZING! Our second trip with Jorge was rock climbing. We have only done indoor climbing gyms before and this was awesome. This was our first ever outdoor climbing experience. We did 4 routes. Very well explained, safety conscious and exciting and Jorge involved us in everything- belaying etc. Tea mid-route was very neat! We were visited multiple times by condors checking out what we were doing. Our kids were amazed by our pics (one climbs and he was impressed). The rock formations were cool to see and climb on - we learned a lot and this definitely pushed our comfort boundaries which is what we wanted.

Quality of Experience

Jorge's knowledge and how he included us in jobs and taught skills was awesome. Beautiful location and the condors were really a nice lucky feature - about 7-8 were watching and circling as we climbed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See comments above - we felt safe and confident trying this with him as the guide.

Transport

Great driver - Jorge - and location was spectacular

Kayaking in Eberhard Fjord

Puerto Natales

We did two trips with Jorge. He is probably the best guide we have ever had—extremely knowledgeable on local wildlife, culture etc, speaks really excellent English and very personable. We did a kayak trip on the Eberhard Fjord on a fairly windy day. First time in dry suits! Mid trip we stopped for a 1km walk with spectacular views of the mountains, lakes and fjords. We finished with a lovely meal of wonderful homemade foods in a Chilean home.

Quality of Experience

Jorge was great, incredible views and a wonderful meal at the end

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We learned a lot about Chile and the area from Jorge - super knowledgeable.

Transport

Jorge picked us up

Base Torres Hike

Chile

Excellent trip. We were on a tour run by W-Circuit. Bus driver was speedy but safe and we did two tours with the same company two days apart. We were picked up at 6:30 am and the bus was comfortable. Trekking poles were provided which helped a lot (we had never used before). After that we did the Base Torres Hike but with a different guide named Pablo. Great hike but long (6 hours minimum) and very crowded at times. The hard thing is that people hike at vastly different rates. Our guide had us go ahead and wait in places (great system). We saw tons of birds and even a puma at the end! Again, breathtaking scenery and rewarding. Some people may not be prepared for the steepness of this hike and be unable to finish as were several folks on our tour. Acclimate a bit, have good boots, and be used to hiking—this is 22km (13.7miles) RT!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful park with stunning scenery.

Food

Nice to have options to buy food along the trail (we got drinks on teh way down) and snacks at the end before our bus ride home.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo was good and allowed us to divide up so we weren't waiting all the time.

Transport

Very good - comfortable and good driver - plenty of space with 6 of us in the van

Trekking Torres del Paine Active

Chile

Excellent trip. We were on a tour run by W-Circuit. Bus driver was speedy but safe We were picked up at 6:30 am and the bus was comfortable. Trekking poles were provided which helped a lot (we had never used before). The first trip we went on 3 roughly 2 hour hikes to the cave paintings, the waterfalls near Las Cuernas, and the Mirador Condor. We hike a lot and enjoyed these. Great start to our stay in Puerto Natales. These hikes were moderate but challenging in terms of vertical gain and strong winds (at one point we were bent over nearly double at the Condor hike!). Our guide Alex was knowledgeable and funny and very good pointing out plants and animals. A herd of guanacos came out right by us and we all got stellar pics. Beautiful intro to the park which truly has stunning scenery at every turn.

Quality of Experience

Food

Box lunches ordered in advance - noting terribly exciting - sandwiches, fruit, juice nuts and bars.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was knowledgeable and funny - excellent English

Transport

Comfortable for ride to and from park.

Kayaking on Reloncaví Fjord

Puerto Varas

Fantastic fjord kayaking trip Our travel agent arranged a full day kayak trip on the Reloncavi Fjord from Puerto Varas Our guide, Paz was outstanding. She has a passion for the region and outdoor education and knew a ton about plant and animal life. Her English was very good and she just radiated positive energy and enthusiasm. The truck was comfortable for the ride (1.5? Hours) and we wore full wetsuits and this was our first time in a double kayak with a rudder. The fjord and surrounding towns were lovely. We had perfect weather for pics, saw seals and birds and turquoise water. One of the highlights was our guide Paz who was very passionate about the area, the people and the natural surroundings. Highly recommend. We had lunch at a Chilean family’s home and got to tour their small farm. Really fresh food (lamb stew, greens and bread) before continuing our trip. This was a friend of Paz and seeing the relationships between Paz and the people whose home we visited and ate in was lovely! A bonus was our driver then took us up the Osorno volcano as the previous days had heavy rain so we couldn’t see anything. What a truly gorgeous location!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paz (and our driver) were outstanding!

Transport

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

Adaptable and energetic guide for hiking Great guide from La Comarca who was able to adapt to multiple changes to planned hiking and biking trips. Juan Manuel picked us up and took us to a great breakfast place after our early morning flight from Santiago. It was pouring when we arrived and the road to the Alerce Andino national park where we were going to hike was blocked by mudslides from the rain. We went to plan b which was hiking near the Petrohue cascades (good to see) and then plan c which was going up the Mount Osorno Volcano where we had our lunch. We were at the TeSki chalet. Great food and snacks. Juan Manuel is extremely knowledgeable and fun to talk with. Highly recommend for adaptability, tremendous local knowledge and great personality. We were disappointed that due to weather and a sprained ankle we couldn’t do a planned bike tour with him.

Quality of Experience

Different than planned but Juan Miguel was amazing!

Food

Stopped at a great local cafe for breakfast and had super sandwiches, hot chocolate for lunch when we stopped at TeSki!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I did all the planning for this trip for my daughter and grandchildren, but did not go with them. This was a special trip for our 14 year old grandson. Luca helped me from day one and was amazing, especially with choosing excursions that would appeal to my grandson. I corresponded with him nearly every day for several weeks, and he was always very quick to respond and so helpful. He listened to my ideas and guided me with his expertise about the climate for the dates of our trip and which area would be best at that specific date. My daughter thinks I am the best travel agent ever, as they had a wonderful trip with everything being just as we had planned. Luca planned wonderful excursions for them with small group sizes. They were met with your guides promptly with no glitches. Hotels were just as Luca described and I loved that he sent me pictures of each hotel. He suggested many places for them to eat that were reasonably priced, and they loved every one of them. Their favorite part was the Amalfi Coast tour and the boat ride around Capri. Having never used a travel agency before, I was very nervous about this. Luca put me at ease and made it all very easy. I have already recommended your agency to all my friends and told them to ask for Luca.

Hussein our driver was exceptional. He is an excellent, safe driver ( sometimes on hard roads) and was excellent with all the young people on the trip with us. I cannot recommend him enough.

The whole trip went well, but we had ONE BAD EXPERIENCE at the end of the trip (Saturday March 1)in Essaouira at the Riad Mimouna. It is a handsome hotel with a beautiful position looking to the Atlantic.
On the last morning we left early (5 to 6am) as we had a drive back to Casablanca and our flight. As I left my room, I was shocked to find the baggage porter from the hotel going round the rooms we were all leaving. He was helping himself to the cash tip that I had left for the women who come in to clean and redo the rooms. I went back to my room, and I noticed the money I had left had disappeared. I called him on it and asked where the tip money had gone. He sheepishly handed it back to me.
I went downstairs and complained strongly to the man on the desk. I am not sure that he was going to do anything - and ay even have been a friend of the latter had access to our room keys, most of which were handed in at the desk as we prepared to leave.
I would be most grateful if you could inform the hotel of this unpleasant incident. They should know that they have an employee like this who steals from other people who work in the hotel.

Panama City 3 day stay in Sofitel
Christian was our private guide for 2 days. He brought us to the Panama Canal and a city tour for one day and then to the Embara tribe another day. WOW BITH WERE AMAZING. What an educational and fun experience both of these days were. Christian was absolutely amazing, smart and personable! Would highly recommend him.
The Sofitel was great and in a great area to walk around!

4 days and 3 nights Nayara
Nothing else to say but YOU MUST STAY HERE IN BOTH THE TREEHOUSE AND THE VILLAS!!!
The food , the people, the service, the wow factors, the tranquility. Just go and you will not regret

Hotel Reviews

Nayara Bocas del Toro

A MUST STAY the treehouse was a room that was so unique, views for miles from every area. To have cocktail hour on the top floor during a sunset or breakfast as the birds awoken is something we will never forget The over water bungalows with private saltwater pools led to a brilliant morning and evening. The service was more of a 7,8,9 star hotel than a 5star. At a push of a button you can have any food , that was Michelin like , a kayak, a bottle of champagne/sparkling wine, a cocktail, or some waters at any time of day. The food does take 45minutes to come out when ordered (except for dinner which is in a restaurant). The ELEPHANT HOUSE FOR DINNER—the most romantic beautiful best food I have ever eaten at a hotel. This is more then just a restaurant, it’s an experience The staff—wow wow wow. So polite so genuine so nice. 12/10

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful island (but def an adventure to get too)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

Panama city

We did not have a balcony for some reason but we had a 2 story lifted hotel room that was beautiful! The service and the food is 5star. Every morning breakfast got better and better. The bartenders were fun and personable. The pool was beautiful. The moet roof top is something to not be missed on a weekend with live music and a dj.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk around, safe, a million restaurants and a great view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was cleaned 2-3 times per day.

Activity Reviews

Embera Village Adventure: Culture, Nature, and Traditions along the Chagres River

Panama

Please do this and support the tribe. Such nice People Started with a 30 min canoe ride that was BEAUTIFUL! We then hiked 20 min into the forest to a waterfall that we swam in before continuing our canoe ride to the village. We danced with the children and watched some music. We walked around learning about the village and how they lived This is a MUST DO

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Panama City! Arrive at Tocumen International Airport

Panama City

Christian was there to pick us up on time in a lovely car. He is great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christian is AMAZING

Transport

We highly recommend the Aracanto team led by Margoth and Felipe who did an excellent job, 1st listening to what we wanted and then planning a seamless complex trip. All their guides and drivers were top class and we learnt so much about this fascinating country. The standout part of their service was Margoth and Felipe’s genuine care and response 24/7 to any issue and willingness to make changes and reservations whilst we were in country which gave us great confidence as 1st time visitors. S&J UK

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Bogotá

Perfect high quality hotel as a base for a Bogata visit located in a nice area - great buffet breakfast but slow service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Bambusa

El Caimo

Beautiful and unique property more like a private home than a hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

The roads are dreadful to get this property - it works much better as arrive and chill out rather than as a base for day tours

Staff

All the staff are great but the walking guide was amazing guy and his walking tour around the estate and neighbouring Cacao farm was a highlight!

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Top boutique hotel in best district of Medellin . Hotel is lovely and well designed but rooms are a bit soulless and corporate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bedrooms not v comfortable

Villa Playa Tayrona

Magdalena

Beautiful villa style property in an amazing location overlooking river and sea with a pool in front . We would have preferred a room with a view which was not available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Welcome wasn’t up to the usual up to standard we experienced in Columbia - a tour of the property would have helped.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa San Agustín

Cartagena de Indias

Amazing architecture beautiful boutique hotel in heart of old town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

City Tour of Bogotá with Gold Museum, La Candelaria, and Monserrate Hill

Bogotá

Excellent- Oscar our guide was very knowledgeable and a really nice guy and we really enjoyed visiting the highlights of Bogata

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Cacao Tour (Hacienda Bambusa)

Armenia

We did this immediately on arrival and it was a super way to unwind from air travel and an unpleasant journey to the property on v bad roads . This hotel no longer sits in the middle of a Cacao farm - it’s now industrial level citrus planting so this walk takes you to the neighbouring farm to see Cacao farming on a charming local level.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Camilo was a delight and v knowledgeable and chilled

We were only in Japan for 7 days, but managed to see four cities in that time-Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, and Izu. We saw many incredible attractions with the expertise of KimKim. We particularly enjoyed experiencing traditional Japanese accommodation and cuisine. Eleanor, our planner, was professional, responsive to our questions, and very polite. We never worried while we were travelling and were able to discover beautiful Japan! Thank you KimKim and Eleanor for an amazing experience. We would highly recommend their services to anyone planning for a stress free trip!

5 day trip from Marrakech. We travelled with Az to Imlil in the Atlas mountains, then to Ait Ben Haddou, Ourazazate then onto Merzouga in the Sahara desert with camel ride to our overnight camp (highly recommended). Then back to Marrakech via Rossini, Todra and Dades gorges. Az was polite, quiet and very helpful. Some long days in the car but well worth it. Multiple stops enroute to walk around local markets and small towns. Particularly enjoyed the fossil workshop visit. You can choose when or where you stop or even buy lunch at a supermarket and have a picnic. Az was a safe driver and kept the vehicle clean.

Hotel Reviews

Kasbah Tizzarouine

Boumalne

Visited out of season, so the pool was not available to us. Upon arrival we were offered a drink/snacks but after a 30 minute wait no one returned. Had to wear duvet jackets at meal time as only one heater for a large dining room. Bedroom warm and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good views over gorge but nothing much in walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luxury Camp Chebbi

Merzouga

Great camel ride approx 60 mins, with stops for photos. Camp and facilities clean and tidy. Heating/air conditioning in the room. Good food. Opportunity for a campfire if not too windy. Very friendly and attentive staff. Choice of returning by 4WD or camel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Isfoula

Ait Ben Haddou

Pleasant, clean and good food with a warm and friendly welcome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a 5 minute drive away from Ait Ben Haddou, in a quiet position.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atlas Berber Lodge

Imlil

Typical Berber lodge and hospitality. Traditional Moroccan food and plenty of it. Large ensuite rooms, excellent views from the terraces. Situated up the hill away from the main village. Highly recommend for the Moroccan experience.

Authenticity & Character

Typical Berber furnishings and hospitality

Location

Fabulous views of the mountains.

Staff

The hospitality couldn't have been more welcoming, friendly and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was cold when we arrived but a heater was provided in the dining room which kept us snug.

Activity Review

Overnight in the Sahara Desert

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thought all of our guides were great! Stephano, Alexis, Justin, Azu did a great job teaching us and helping us to have fun! Jacquie was our support person and she made everything run very smoothly. If I had a question, she could confirm the plan or make sure things went as planned.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Indigo Galápagos

San Cristóbal

This is a lovely hotel by the water and close to everything. We enjoyed sitting by the pool in the mornings and listening to the sea lions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

You have to take a little walk and free boat (provided by the hotel) to get to town, but it was all part of the experience and we loved the location!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was a bit small, but we didn’t spend much time there! The beds were very comfortable and the room was kept very clean.

EB Hotel by Eurobuilding Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Expedition to El Junco Lagoon - Galapaguera Colorado Hill - Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

This was our favorite day! We saw lots of wildlife at Las Lobos Island and enjoyed snorkeling as well. Right after snorkeling we actually followed a pod of Orcas rather than going to the beach. Apparently this is super rare, so maybe don’t expect an orca sighting!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

We enjoyed talking with our guide, Justin. The Interpretation Center was okay. La Lobería was beautiful and it was cool to see the sea lions. The conditions were a little rough for snorkeling, but we had a good time. There was heavy rain on the way back to our ride.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

We had a great time seeing all the different birds and learning how to identify them. We saw iguanas and sea lions as well. The snorkeling was fun too! We saw rays and reef sharks as well as many varieties of fish.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was a lot of waiting on this tour. We had a great time, but when it was all over we had to wait a long time to leave.

Kayaking Tortuga Bay (by boat) - Afternoon at Leisure

Puerto Ayora

Tortuga Bay was beautiful. We saw so many marine iguanas and learned about the sea turtles nesting. The waves were incredible and made the walk to Mansa beach a lovely one. We kayaked in the calmer water and saw the mangrove and many, many sea turtles. My daughter loved this!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

This was a very cool experience. The restaurant was nice, and we were able to watch the tortoises in the rain. They had rain boots and umbrellas for us. We didn’t end up planting a tree, because my daughter got stung by fire ants in that area. My only suggestion would be to find a way to treat for fire ants.

Quality of Experience

The ants made it a little less amazing. But otherwise it was great.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stephano was very knowledgeable and his English was great. We learned so much that day!

Transport

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

Marco was so kind. He took us to the hotel and then picked us up early in the morning. The process to fly between Quito and Baltra was not self-explanatory, so it was nice to have his guidance!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marisa & KimKim team were in constant communication with us throughout our trip. The hotels selected were amazing. All plans went off without a hitch. Great vacation!

Charlotte put together the itinerary for us perfectly. Not too much, not too little, but just the right amount of activities for our family of four. The activities and accommodations were aligned with the objectives and preferences we had in mind for the trip. We wanted to do things "off the beaten path," and that's what Charlotte delivered. Highlights included swimming in the cenote, Sian Ka'an boat tour (highly recommended), and snorkeling with sea turtles. The team also supported us during the trip and were quick to answer questions when they arose.

We were very happy with Eric throughout the planning process. He was very responsive and sensitive to our technical challenges.
The itinerary met our required wishes. The 'Golden Circle' stay was a great way to begin our introduction to Iceland and the proximity to the airport of our first lodging helped us deal with the jetlag. The geothermal activity was a real attraction. Unfortunately I missed the planned activity at that location.
Our stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur gave us exposure to the desolation and rawness of the country. The Diamond Beach day trip was a pleasant surprise. We loved the icebergs.
After the relative sparseness of humanity of the first two stays, Reykjavik was anything but. Unfortunately, Penny caught a virus of some sort two days before we were to fly to Iceland, and she couldn't partake of the Sky Lagoon pass. I, however, very much enjoyed the venue. It was splendid and I wish Penny had felt better and been able to accompany me. It was quite breathtaking.

Marisa was great to work with during the planning process. The hotels she chose were perfect! Both the Cascais Miragem (in Cascais) and Cascade Wellness (in Lagos) were perfectly located and offered everything we could have asked for. The Cascade Wellness hotel is a ocean front resort and offers direct access to the walking trails along the cliffs and to the beaches. We found the Cascais Miragem to be a perfect mix of walking distance to the town (10 mins) and luxury amenities that we needed at the end of our trip. Day trip to Sintra and stops along the Cascias coast were worth the time for a day trip. Marisa was was always responsive to our questions and made really great suggestions to fill out the trip for us. We didn't end up eating at any of her restaurant suggestions as we prefer to find them ourselves but they all looked to be excellent choices if you don't want to research those yourself. Having a driver available for airport transport and the Sintra trip made things very convenient. Rental car process was seamless and easy. Don't be intimidated with tackling the drive from Lisbon to Lagos yourself. It was easier than expected. We only had to to spend 15 minutes driving in Lisbon then it was out into the countryside on the open road highway. Our 16 year old son said this was a Great trip form him as well. Other observations: don't worry about the language as everyone there speaks english and the Metros in Lisbon were safe, efficient, clean and easy to navigate. Thanks Marisa and the KimKim team!

Overall, planning was great with Brian and team. We were trying to stay within a certain budget and with some tweaking we got there. Both hotels were very nice overall with amazing views. More on that later. As for the tours, the Danaus rainforest tour was underwhelming especially after the hanging bridges guided tour that we added on after we got to La Fortuna. Traveling to and from our destinations was a different story. On our way from SJO to La Fortuna, our driver’s car broke down in the middle of nowhere on a dark winding road (dead battery) Fortunately there was a local restaurant that was open not too far up a hill where we could wait for another driver. We waited another 1 1/2 hours which made for a very long trip to our first destination. Then on our final trip from Manuel Antonio back to SJO our driver showed up at the planned departure time of 8am with a flat tire. Again we had to wait over an hour for a new driver/vehicle making for a very stressful drive to catch our flight given the heavy traffic. We understand things happen but would expect greater reliability and better maintenance of the vehicles used to transport guests. Finally, while we did love La Mariposa hotel in Manuel Antonio we would strongly suggest letting guests know that they should bring their own toiletries and towels. We actually had to go and buy our own soap, shampoo, kleenix, etc., since they only provided small sample sizes of shampoo, soap and some lotion which was barely enough for one person per night. In addition for 2 people they give you 2 bath towels and only one hand towel to share? Anything beyond that they charged $5 per towel! We have never seen anything like that anywhere. Not to mention what you have to go through just to get a towel for the pool! For what we paid and given how ecologically conscious the country is we were surprised by all the waste of plastic containers they go through as opposed to other local hotels that use stationary refillable containers.

Hotel Reviews

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Amazing views and nice large rooms but amenities are sorely lacking.

Authenticity & Character

The views and setting

Location

Beautiful setting, grounds and view.

Staff

Staff was fine with the exception of one gentleman who was extremely rude!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean but bring your own toiletries and towels. They provide only sample size soap, shampoo and lotion barely enough for 1 person staying 1 night. They only provide one bath towel per person and 1 hand towel to share? Anything more is $5 per towel!!

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Great hotel with lots of nice amenities. Rooms were a little dated.

Authenticity & Character

Views and grounds were beautiful and greatly amenities such as pool, hot springs and breakfast which was amazing!!

Location

Staff

Very friendly and accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only issue was that rooms are a bit dated.

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Had to hurry through the last part after guide spent a little too much time time in the beginning of the tour

Transport

Ecocentro Danaus Guided Rainforest Walk (without Transportation)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Underwhelming. While pretty it was a very short hike and would recommend other tours instead.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were great! Staff was mixed.

Transport

Our transportation broke down upon arrival and departure

I can’t say enough about the amazing trip my husband and I had hiking the Kumano Kodo trail. Ilse was absolutely wonderful in setting up our hike and worked with us patiently as our plans needed to be modified because I was running the Tokyo Marathon the weekend before. Our meals and hosts each night were perfect. My husband and I were not only celebrating my marathon but our 25th wedding anniversary. Ilse made it special from start to finish.

Hotel Reviews

Yunominesou

Yunomine Onsen

Yunominesou offered a more traditional Japanese experience and we shared it with many other hikers. The hot spring on the property was genuine and soothing, although the meals were a bit too exotic for our taste, especially the dishes that needed preparation at the table. However, they did make efforts to label the items in English, which helped. We were a bit let down by the breakfast and lunch that were packed for us, which lacked variety and freshness.

Minshuku Chikatsuyu

Tanabe

Our stay at Minshuku Chikatsuyu was a lovely experience with a great family-style dining atmosphere. While it was larger than our first accommodation, it still felt intimate, with beautiful views from the dining hall. The meals were delicious, although the lunch provided was just a small sandwich, which fell short of expectations.

Minpaku Akatsuki (5-minute drive from Takahara) 民泊あかつき

The accommodation at Minpaku Akatsuki was a wonderful start to our trip. The host was incredibly welcoming, and staying there felt like being in her own home. The meals were fantastic and the sleeping quarters were comfortable. Breakfast was also wonderful, offering us everything we needed to start the day on a high note. The personal touch made it an unforgettable experience.

Activity Review

Hike the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu

Chikatsuyu

Hiking the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu was a remarkable experience. The trail offered a wonderful landscape, and the camaraderie with fellow hikers was heartwarming. Meeting the same hikers across different points during our journey added a unique touch to the overall experience.

Apart from the guide in Jaipur, who seemed a bit stressed and rushed us, everyone was amazing!

Every place that was planned for us was what I imagined in trying to get to know the north region of Ha Noi. Even though the weather was not sunny, the Ha Long Bay was mysterious, when shrouded in clouds. We arrived in Ha Noi, after a busy weekend in Saigon at a wedding but we felt that we could relax the first two nights in our hotel and also on the one night on Capella Cruise. The meals cruise meals were fantastic. We only joined the rooftop 6:00 AM Tai Chi activity, which in the mist of Halong Bay was so memorable. Our driver, Guong? (Means strong in English) was sweet and helpful at every turn). He used English as best he could to point out important sites. Our guide Mr. Win was knowledgeable, but he seemed tired, especially on the first day. I don’t feel we learned a lot about the Old Capital. The Pagoda was OK. Our guide seemed young and in need of some better social skills. Our rower on the Tam Coc tour was amazing, and my husband asked a lot of questions through our guide about the life in that Ninh Binh area. I loved the cooking class in the traditional house. The young woman (never caught her name) was quite fluent in English, and helped her aunt in teaching us recipes.

Highlight of our trip this year was the Osa Peninsula. The Drake Bay Wilderness Lodge was a wonderful place where we stayed for 5 days/4 nights.
The food was excellent: a culinary and aesthetic delight. Cudos to the chef cook!
The heart of the whole place is "Henry" the waiter. He is a natural talent and his welcoming and friendly and kind attitude makes the stay at the Lodge special.
For the 3rd Tour we didn't want the Cano Island and were given the advice to go to see an⁶ Animal Farm including a Nightwalk."
What it turned out to be was the so-called "Tapir Trail", a great trail, but definetly in the category of strenuous with a lot of exposure. A small trail , steep, partly slippery ending up at a waterfall. We didn't put on the rubber boots which we were offered - without explanation- at the Entrance but the guide assured us that we could keep on our (Keen) hiking shoes.
Glad that we did that, since it gave us a better footage on the trail versus oversized rubber boots..Again, a great hike, but it would be very advisable if the Manager at the Lodge would give his customers ( also considering the age group and the temperature of the day)detailed information about this hike ( and not naming it an Animal Farm Tour).
After return , in the evening, we had to remove some tics from our body!
We signed up for 3 tours: the Corcovado NP and the Mangrove Tour were each excellent Vincent was a great naturalist guide and the captain was superb.

Overall: a wonderful place to stay.
Sure, if the manager or the person in charge there, would have an attitude like Henry the place would even be better.

Overall Transportation from one place to another was always on time, with friendly drivers and very good vans! Big plus!

Alex, the captain , who brought us to Sierpe for the transfer to Manual Antonio, was a real professional and seasoned captain.

Manual Antonio: Ariel was a very good guide in the National Rainforest there.

Karake Hotel: good location. We were there in 2024.

Drive to La Fortuna: Oskar was an excellent driver on these windy roads.

Hanging Bridges Tour a must and great experience. Guide David was very good.

Ecotermales: great place. Have been there in 2024.
The issue with the wrong time on the clock of the piscinas was discussed with Greg
and resolved.

Again: all together a wonderful trip for us.
A big Thanks!
A big Thanks also to Greg ( and Gustavo) who helped us getting the trip together on short notice. Greg was in touch with us along the trip and made sure that everything was happening smoothly what it did indead! Great customer service!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lavas Tacotal

Fortuna, San Carlos

A nice place outside of La Fortuna. More in the country side. We enjoyed that is was not in the center of Fortuna and more quiet. It is a rather big place, but the individual Bungalows are well placed and provide privacy. Nice landscaping with native plants and trees. Had the Deluxe Garden Bungalow which was huge and something smaller would have been good enough for us. Nice swimming pool. Restaurant: since it is basically a very big place, we had to decide about a time slot for breakfast ( every 15 minutes). So it is a very busy and a rather crowded breakfast situation. Not for a relaxed breakfast. We were in La Fortuna in 2024 and stayed at the Campos Hotel. We learned that kimkim is not working anymore with this place. We loved it! Spacious room had a very special character, unlike seen anywhere else. Great swimming pool a little separate from the building. Good location. Good breakfast. Breakfast room not crowded. 10 minute walk to town with panderias on the way. There was a bridge beeing repaired, so cars had to take a detour. Maybe that is why it was taken off the list. I highly recommend adding it again. We would have loved to stay there this year also.

Authenticity & Character

Location of Bungalows and landscaping

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast situation not ideal. Outside of La Fortuna for people like us who want to avoid the huzzle and buzzle of the city and be more in nature. Free laundry when you stay 3 nights.

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

A good place to stay. Downtown. But be aware of robbery on the streets, as we have heard from fellow guests. Restaurant: good. But we had to wait a very long time before being served because a group was there ( came even after us). I talked to the manager after ~ 2 hours waiting ( not even water was served) and he apologized and reimbursed our dinner. Lesson learned: go in restaurant when no group is there.

Authenticity & Character

Restaurant waiting time

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Ariel was a great guide. Park was happily less crowded then last year. Had afternoon tour. Overall it is certainly advisable to go as early as possible to have the chance to see more animals.

Quality of Experience

How intuitively Ariel discovered animals!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, friendly driver

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hanging bridges Tour is a must. Would have liked to learn how they were built. Maybe showing a video of the construction process, since it it so unbelievable! David was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Were there in 2024. This year we choose the morning spot and could enjoy the surrounding nature. At the evening spot it is dark outside! Different pools with different temperatures . Bring your own watch to observe the time since the official watch gave the wrong time .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport