Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our vacation was wonderful! I cannot thank Kim Kim and Serendipity Adventures enough for all of their guidance , support , and expertise! We didn’t have to need or want for anything. They were with us every step of the way, checking in, making sure everything was to our expectations and so helpful in answering all of our questions and making sure we were happy. Our guides were exceptional. I will use KimKim in the future for travel plans. It was so easy. I feel our vacation was above and beyond our expectations solely because we used KimKim. Holden put our trip plans together and was always available for questions. Wilmar and Serendipity Adventures were always checking in and making sure we were happy. Our two guides that stand out the most were Mariano for the LaFortuna area and Socio in Manuel Antonio. The best experience!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Amazing ocean views from our beautiful room. We had monkeys on our deck that were fun to watch and a sloth that was in the tree right next to our room. It was so close!! It was an amazing experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Beautiful views from our room. Breakfast was amazing! Friendly staff and clean rooms and wonderful amenities ! Beautiful location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Beautiful.

Quality of Experience

O

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

O

Transport

Sukia Nighttime Nature Walk

Manuel Antonio

We saw lots of frogs! So cool

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Manuel Antonio Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

We would not have seen most of the animals that we saw without our amazing guide Socio! I would not recommend this trip without a guide. The park was absolutely beautiful

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Nature Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fun to see all the beautiful butterflies

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was extremely knowledge and friendly. We had a great time learning and seeing the sites

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serendipity Adventures was the tour company assigned to us via Kim Kim. Holden, Mariana, Nancy and Wilman are all exceptional. They planned an amazing trip for us that suited our interests and ensured everything ran smoothly. Everything was extremely organized, punctual and communication was seamless.

Special mentions to: Alex and Rodney our drivers and tour guides Andres, Mallo, Stephanie and Olger.

I highly recommend booking your Costa Rica trip with Serendipity.

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and we only had a week- so tried to hit 3 of the major areas based on an already suggested route by the kimkim team. Worked out great! Really got a feel for the country and what we would do more of on the next trip. So glad I went with the local drivers instead of trying to rent a car. For the time we had, we surely would have lost time finding our way and the roads were quite rough in some areas. It was great to have a local driver who knew the roads and where to go - much less stressful than driving. All our drivers and guides were great. Manuel Antonio park and area was definitely a favorite due to sloths, beaches and beautiful views.

Hotel Review

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Great views and services.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

This walk is very dependent on what you see. The night we went was not super interesting - bugs and a couple birds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hike was good - guide was knowledgeable and interesting. We had a partly day but views were still nice. Hot springs were ok - better pools than our hotel; but would do something else next time as most hotels have something similar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Great overall experience at the park - bridge guide was very knowledgeable and zipline team made everyone feel comfortable and safe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adam did a fantastic job understanding what I wanted to do and translated that into a very practical plan. The activities, which included hiking volcanic craters, black sand beaches, glaciers, and waterfalls, whale watching, and snorkeling were all exactly what I wanted. Adam did a great job mapping out stopping points such that we maximized fun with relaxation. Even the last minute requests such as places to eat and geothermal pools were fantastic. We had the best steaks I’ve ever had at a Efstidalur Farm. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “farm to table” as we at our meal watching the dairy cows feed! Sumac, Ox and Moss was also a favorite/best meal experience. My favorite activities were the whale watching tour where we saw two separate orca pods and two different humpback whales. Ryan’s favorite activity was style Silfra snorkeling tour. We both enjoyed the geothermal pools and hiking as well, especially the Djupalonssandur black sand beaches and the Hraunfossar & Barnafoss waterfalls. I would love to go back and do many of the things we didn’t have time to do. Adam and Kim Kim were responsive, knowledgeable, and affordable. I highly recommend them and will definitely use their services again.

First time with KimKim and it will not be our last!

Our trip to Spain began with no planning other than a good value on plane tickets to Madrid. We approached KimKim and lucked into Coraima who took our blank slate and put together an amazing trip package that left us wanting more. Each day seemed to build upon our knowledge and enjoyment from the previous day. Our expert guides added an accelerated depth of both which could not have been achieved without them during our 8 day visit (way to short by the way):

-Irene, born and raised in Toledo, knew all of the short cuts
-Elena brought the Prado to life
-I will not attempt to spell our Grand Palace guide's name, she delivered more than just a "big house" by filling it with many fun royal anecdotes
-Avila and Segovia and all points between were handled expertly by Martin
-Lorena brought sun to a rainy day in Seville showing us the Acalzar and Cathedral
-Yohanna made us feel like family during our Triana Flamenco and Tapas experience. Is there anyone she doesn't know in that town?
-Carlos was a pleasure guiding us through Ronda and Zahara de la Sahara's rich history while finding us local treats and securing a Puento Nuevo view table by a fire for lunch on a chilly day

Our itinerary did leave some time for self-exploration, and we took full advantage of that time: Tapas, parks, Tapas, squares, Tapas, casino, Tapas, shopping...and Tapas. Averaging nearly 15K steps each day we actually lost weight on the trip. Accommodations were convenient, friendly and clean (Cetina in Seville, Regina in Madrid). Transports were on time with strong communication and friendly drivers.

Coraima and Lea were diligent in communication throughout the entire journey, they felt like angels on our shoulders!

Hope this comes off as a positive review, as it is meant as nothing less!

Before writing about Hakim, who planned our trip and who was amazing at every juncture, I have to highlight our driver Mohammed. Wow! Personable, knowledgeable, intelligent and caring. I felt like we were touring with our son. Really became fond of him. Mohammed provided the local insight we lacked on negotiations, local politics, and just navigating Morocco. He was always pleasant, always on time and always optimistic. He personally added to our enjoyment of the Moroccan adventure. I hope we will become lifelong friends. As previously stated, Hakim who organized the tour was also a star. If we had a question or issue, he was super responsive and helpful. His Riad selections were top-notched both in terms of the accommodations and staff. His, was a near perfect execution. My hedge here is due only to the fact that one Riad was a little bit below our standards. The others were exceptional. I would also like to spot light Saraa, our guide in Rabat, and Henyn, our Marrakech guide. Both were knowledgeable, informative and engaging. Saraa had an amazing wit that was equally as entertaining as her color commentary. Henyn was just smart. Kudos to KimKim on the quality of the team they’ve put together. Highly recommended!

We enjoyed our stay in Sri Lanka and especially found Nuwara to be a beautiful area and stayed in a lovely hotel. Yala and the hotel were also nice.

We all liked our tour guide and appreciated his level of knowledge and recommendations.

The amount of time spent driving was a surprise and would have made different decisions had I know. I also think it should have been communicated the first hotel was not at all a luxury experience. The service, food and room were all mediocre.

It would be nice to have helpful information proactively provided. For example the bathrooms along the highway charge to use them so having smaller bills would have been very helpful. Recommended tips for tour guide and safari drivers, clothing for higher elevation etc.

Activity Reviews

Explore Nuwara Eliya

Sri Lanka

Visit to Elephant transit home in Udawalawa

Udawalawe

Safari in Udawalawa National Park

Udawalawe

Horton Plains National Park

Sri Lanka

Really the rated should be N.A.- We opted not to do this based on feedback from several people that the weather is iffy and no animals. Sounded like a nature walk but required 2 additional hours of driving.

Yala National Park Jeep Safari

Sri Lanka

Quality of Experience

Wildlife was great including water buffalo, elephants, owls, deer and many birds. We did not see a leopard.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was distracted by his phone especially the 2nd half of the tour.

Transport

This was our first time in Portugal, and as for several other trips, kimkim made it possible. Kimkim worked with us to plan out a perfect itinerary for 12 days in and around Lisbon and Porto. But planning is only part of what makes a trip great - it's also being there to manage when things don't go as planned. And our 12 days in Portugal started with a plane cancellation due to weather - but kimkim was there for us to re-arrange airport pickups, hotel and dinner reservations, and to help us think thru how to do in 11 days what we planned for in 12 days.
Kimkim and their local affiliate in Spain (which handles planning for Spain and Portugal) use the app "Trip Plans" - which creates realtime updates for your itinerary, including bookings and tickets... and also contains an in-app messaging service, which was monitored and responded to in near realtime by our trip planner Rita and her associates.

Because we wanted flexibility in day trips out of Lisbon and Porto, we opted for a few day trips with private drivers. Rita and team helped us put together realistic itineraries, and then found the best drivers for us. And for those worried about driver pickup locations and times (will someone actually be there for us, even if the plane/train is late???), their choice of car services and drivers comes with a traveler-friendly text-message that includes your driver's name, number, pick-up time, location mapping... and an emergency number to call if something unexpected happens. We had the same great driver (Alex) for our airport pickup, two day-trips from Lisbon, and a drop off at the Lisbon train station (to go to Porto).

Our best day trip from Porto... Douro Valley-Expert Guide-Boat-Lunch-Tastings Premium Service. We were picked up at our hotel by Pedro, who knew everything (and seemingly everyone) in the Douro Valley. Pedro took us on a beautiful drive from Porto to our first tasting, providing us with local knowledge and fun facts about the Douro valley... and patiently stopping when I saw a particularly scenic spot for photos. Pedro continued his personalized tour with us on the hour river cruise, and then to our 2nd vineyard for lunch and another tasting. And after a day of vineyard sampling, what's better than having a private car service back to your hotel.

Thank you Rita (and kimkim) for another great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

A beautiful boutique hotel on one of the most walkable streets in Porto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

Beautiful hotel with a warm and friendly staff. Walkable to many tourist sites and lots of restaurants and cafes. Rooms are spacious and well appointed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Douro Valley Excursion with Wine Tastings, Local Lunch & Rabelo River Cruise

Porto

The Private Douro Valley Excursion was a fabulous experience. We had a private driver who was knowledgeable and friendly, making the day feel special and tailored just for us. The wine tastings were excellent, and having the flexibility with a personal driver meant we could stop for photos and experience the scenery in a way a group tour wouldn't allow.

Our guide Rachid was so kind, fun, and we felt well cared for. Highly recommend!

Planning and booking went well, it was the execution and detail once we got there that was terrible. Every day we were in contact with Shona, or at least trying to get in contact with her, trying to get clarity on our itinerary. We needed to check on every transfer, do we have a driver or do we need to get a taxi.. when we took the bullet train the first time , it would have been nice to know you need your QR code ready when leaving the station. And you can only go through the one lane that accepts QR codes. I'm sure the signs in Japanese said this, but that's why we hired a travel agency and guides, we don't speak or read Japanese.
When we arrived in Hiroshima we were told we had 3 options to get to the Sheraton Hotel, Train, Taxi, or a short walk.
1, We were already at the closest train station , 2, The taxi stand was a longer walk than to the front desk of the Sheraton.
This was the final straw and we realized KimKim was a bad choice.
We were a small group of 4, and it was very unfair for the one person who had planned the trip to be burdened almost every day doing the work of the agency. Look for her review.

We had a wonderful experience in Chile with the help of Kim-Kim. Camila was our host and she suggested some wonderful day trips. We really got to experienceChilean cuisine, history., and the wonderful people in Santiago, Valparaiso , and Vina Del Mar.
A standing ovations to our guides, Alex, Pablo, Sebastian, and Angel. Camila and her team were responsive to our needs and questions. Coming to Chile for the first time, we were a little nervous and anxious. Camila and her team really put our minds at ease. We were totally relaxed and felt well cared for. Gracias Camila!!!
Alan y Regina Osofsky

Activity Reviews

Street Art Tour

Chile

The Street Art Tour was fascinating, with Alex providing rich insights about the area. We admired the street art and graffiti, and appreciated Alex's flexibility in allowing us a lunch break and later picking us up.

Local Markets and Cooking Class in Valparaiso

Chile

The Local Markets and Cooking Class in Valparaiso with Sebastian was a great experience. Starting with selecting fresh ingredients at the Mercado, followed by an exciting bus ride in Santiago, and then a hike to the hilltop house for cooking. The food was just incredible, and the whole experience made us feel like locals.

Visit to Quintessence Alpaca Farm

Chile

The Alpaca farm visit was a standout during our trip. The journey to the farm, despite some car sickness, was enjoyable with our driver and guide, Angel. Upon arrival, the owner, Mary, welcomed us warmly, and it felt like visiting an old friend. The entire experience was so much fun and left a lasting impression.

We had a great time on our two week trip to Vietnam and Laos. Trang was a great asset. She was very responsive, thorough, and communicative. Everyone was on time and the accommodations were great. Both countries are spectacular with a lot of great activities. We couldn't have asked for a better trip!

We had a wonderful family vacation to France in Summer 2024, thanks to the exceptional planning and support from Aline and Bastien at Discovery DMC. They designed a thoughtful and well-paced itinerary that included the highlights of Paris, the historical sites of Normandy, and the beauty of Nice. The mix of guided tours, comfortable accommodations, and seamless travel logistics made the entire trip feel effortless.

What stood out most was their attention to detail and responsiveness—before and during the trip. They tailored the experience to fit our family’s preferences and made sure everything ran smoothly. It was a perfect balance of sightseeing, cultural immersion, and relaxation. We highly recommend Aline, Bastien, and Discovery DMC, and would definitely work with them again for future travel.

This was a fantastic trip and The KimKim team was very helpful and knowledgeable about the country. They helped guide us on length of time and types of tours based on our interests. It really was tailored to our needs.

The only thing that could have made it better was to have a local contact in country during our stay.

I felt I overpaid for what I received. Disappointed in the hotel in Prague. My room was about 6 feet from the reception desk and was a handicap accessible room. The agents didn’t respond as quickly as I would have liked when planning especially since it was a trip planned just a month in advance.

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Vienna: Walking Tour

Vienna

Prague Food Adventure: A Half-Day Culinary Journey

Prague

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sightseeing Evening Cruise

Prague

The audio was difficult to understand. They would say the building on the right but there were so many buildings you didn’t know which one they were talking about. The boat went in a circle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’ve been traveling for 40 years and I am rather picky at this point. We found this trip incredibly easy to plan. Majid listened carefully to our preferences and did a great job adapting what he first proposed. The trip would not have been the same without our driver, Said. He met us when we stepped off the boat in Tangier and then dropped us in Casablanca 10 days later. He was the right amount of tour guide, balanced with letting there be quiet in the car. He went out of the way to tailor each day to exactly how we wanted to spend it. Every single local guide was exceptional and that is saying a lot. Highlight for us was a hike in the Dades valley followed by lunch at the guide’s home. I can’t recommend this team enough. Superior compared to many of the trips I’ve taken with the highest end tour companies at a much higher price.

This is our third trip with Kimkim. We absolutely had a wonderful time traveling by car in Norway. We couldn’t have done it without our Kimkim consultant, Kadri, booking agent, Fenne, and 24/7 assistance agent, David. It was a beautifully smooth operation they run as a team. Kadri listened to what we wanted: slower pace, and accommodations (boutique hotel, cottage or cabin) with beautiful views and balcony or deck when possible. She met our wish to perfection! You cannot imagine how much we enjoyed staying at each hotel, cottage or cabin with absolutely gorgeous views!! Fenne did all the bookings perfectly (which is not as easy as you think based on our experience), and she was always quick to communicate with us like Kadri. Lastly, but not least, David. We knew that there are a team of people on the other side of WhatsApp messages and calls, but we happened to get help from David most of the time. Norway is a large country with so many roads and ferries. There were some road closures as well due to snow David was always there to help us navigate our way. Just for a few of many examples, we once changed our itinerary at the last moment by going to Kvitnes to stay over night, rather than driving to Hennningsvaer directly as originally planned. We thought we just had to plug in the driving route with google maps, but it showed 2 ferry rides. So, we talked to David and he found a solution by plugging in 2 towns in between, that made it shorter routes without ferry rides. We couldn’t have done it, but he could do it quickly with his local knowledge. When our flight was delayed, he informed the hotel of our late arrival as well as arranging for our dinner. We loved the seamless team efforts to make our Norway experience just so superb beyond our imagination! Thank you for everything. We loved our Norway trip and will cherish the beautiful memory forever.

Rome was unforgettable — and we owe so much of it to Mélanie! 🇮🇹❤️

This was our second time booking a trip with Mélanie, and once again, she went above and beyond. From airport transfers to tours, dining recommendations to unique local experiences, everything was thoughtfully planned and effortlessly executed.

What we appreciated the most was how flexible, attentive, and accommodating she was — always making sure our family's needs were met, even with last-minute changes. Thanks to her, we didn’t just visit Rome… we experienced it.

She even connected us with amazing local tour guides that made us fall in love with the city even more. We now have our go-to people in Rome!

Thank you, Mélanie, for making this trip smooth, memorable, and full of joy. Already looking forward to our next adventure with you! 🌍✨

Most all websites and others say it takes about 14 days to really see Japan. Well, when you're working with Leny of Kim Kim and you tell her we only have 7, she put together a most amazing trip we ever took...!!!!
Everything went as plan with no hiccups...!! If you're a little phone savvy, good with GPS and directions then all it takes ...!!
We went from Toyko, Hakone, Kyoto, Hirashima then Osaka with only our backpacks...!!!! With all the walking tours & running around, I even lost 10 pounds...!!!
The price was also very reasonable because we don't like 5 or even 4 stars hotels. All those we stayed in were clean and had everything we needed including washers and dryers...!!!
She also arranged out stay in South Korea as well, which that was also amazing. I told her i wanted to go see Busan as its use to be called Pusan when i was there in the Navy in 80-83. Our tour guide there show me the area the Sailors hang out, but it has really changed since then.
Don't take a chance on trying to do this yourself like i thought i was going to because you will not have a good experience.
Call the best in the business...!! Leny of Kim Kim...!!!!

This was our first trip with Kimkim as we had no prior knowledge of Colombia and thought it best to book some knowledge and experience. We were delighted with the whole experience. From the great Maria Jose and Richard in Bogota, the wonderful Claudia in Medellin and the super Evelyn and Sofia we were treated wonderfully and with such enthusiasm that each guide had in sharing their country with us. At every step of the way we were advised very well by Margarita and Marcela and the whole trip had the perfect balance of being well structured enabling us to see a do many things that we wouldnt have done if we were solo travellers and all without being too rushed. A great experience.