Kimkim Trip Reviews

KimKim was the easiest travel experience I have ever had! All I had to do was give a rough idea and BOOM! out came a perfectly planned vacation. Not only was all the heavy lifting done by KimKim and Erin, but it was our most affordable option with all the companies we looked at. They were so accommodating to changes and provided excellent documentation prior to traveling.

Patagonia was my first experience with KimKim, but I can assure you it will not be my last. Highly recommend and thank you to the KimKim team for a great experience!

Super fun trip, had a great time! Daniel was always very prompt to answer any questions I may have.

I came late to this trip, which was originally planned by my friend and travelling companion, Alan. However, once on board, Martina and team made it easy to get everything organised - the packing list was especially useful!

There's a blog on peru2019.wordpress.com.

Trip notes:
- Everything went pretty smoothly, organisationally, especially once we'd realised some of the hotels had "Alan John" as the room occupant!
- Cumbemayo, Kuelap and Karajia especially good for me, largely because they were more into the countryside
- "local" lunches in village restaurants were great - I really enjoyed dancing with la abuela and her 6m old grandchild in Karajia
- Jhon was a great host and representative of Peru; we had a good time in the cars with him and the drivers, in a very relaxed atmosphere; he tried hard to answer questions (so many questions!!) about all sorts of random aspects of Peru past and present, and took our banter well
- Hotels were generally great, but it's a shootout for top gun between Rangua Wasi (great location, incredible food, a very personal experience) and Hotel Achemaqui, just for the DIY sarcophagus tour in the rain alone ... Nah, Rangua Wasi! Some were more "characterful" than others, but then we met
- Drivers were very careful and confidence-inspiring, given the often challenging conditions and traffic state, and very courteous about going over the innumerable speed bumps on every pavement in Peru
- Cars generally good, but last leg of trip (Trujillo-Casma-Lima) car was not especially comfortable for 10? hours in rear seats
- Everyone we interacted with, from hotel staff, people on the street, village people, was friendly and open - we had many surprise encounters that added a lot to our experience

Some good parts, such as the mythology tour and the farm experience and the Mycenae tour, some mediocre -- the amphytrion hotel -- and some poor, like the foothills trek.

Lisa and the kimkim team were tremendous to work with. Our 10 day journey around Australia was perfect, the kimkim business model works! Lisa built a detailed itinerary that was fantastic, memories for a lifetime.

I can whole heartededly recommend working with Bishal and with the guide Sanu. The choice to use an agency wasn't one I came easily to. Historically, I've always thought it was better to do everything on your own, but in this case I've learned I couldn't be more mistaken. I was extraordinarily busy leading up to the trip and the choice to work with Bishal to ensure all the details were arranged was great. Throughout the trip I realised how grateful I was that I could trust every thing was in place. (And it always was thanks to Bishal and the team.) When I look back on the trip now and consider what it would have been like not to have a guide I realise how much how much of Nepal I would have missed. Sure, I would have seen the views, but I would not have gotten to know the culture as well as I did. I also appreciated the small touches - pretty sure we were one of the few folks to have fresh pommegranate at ABC! Thank you to all at Blue Sheep!

I want to specifically thank Ingrid for planning our family vacation. I chose to book lodging ourselves and left activities and local transportation in Norway to Ingrid. She gave us an itinerary which covers all places and activities on our wish list. She planned for our local transportation and transfers so we could focus on the pristine sceneries and fun activities without worrying about many logistics on self tours while not being in restricted times while traveling in a group tour. Ingrid was also reachable in case we had any glitches during our journey. Really best of both worlds.

For places/activities which Ingrid planned for us, the most memorable are:
1) Geiranger Kayaking tour (with the Geiranger Kayak Center at Homlong. The tour guide was knowledgeable in many aspects in how the fjords were formed, local legends/myths, geopolitical facts, economics, etc. And most of all, top places to visit in Geiranger in our two days of stay.

2) The Fjordcruise from Flam to Gudvangen (on the Naeroyfjord) was also spectacular. Before the ship entered the Naeroyfjord, the captain offered us a private tour to the engine room which featured the totally electrical engine. We were truly impressed by Norwegians effort in preserving the environment.

3) Dragsvik Fjord Hotel: although I found this hotel myself. However, Ingrid approved of it. We wanted to bike around the neighbor. Ingrid managed to find out for us that the hotel actually has a few bicycles for hotel guests to borrow (helmets included). That was SO nice because, with Ingrid's arrangement, we did not have to worry about transportation from Dragsvik to the Balestrand town!

I list the following most memorable places we visited (some are suggested by Ingrid and others by our Kayak tour guide):
1) Dragsvik hotel - My family loved our stay there. It was situated in a ideally situated vantage point of the fjord and the mountains. Also, we really appreciate the hotel manager Magnar (?). Although he does not speak much, but we felt that he really tried his best to accommodate our family's needs. We were rather troublesome during our stay: borrow bicycles, laundry machine, etc.
2) Geiranger: a) Westeras Gard - farm and restaurant
b) hike to behind the Storsæterfossen waterfall
c) Ørnesvingen
d) Geirangerfjordsenter - great cabin lodging for family or small group
e) of course, our kayak tour
3) Bergen Budget Hotel: I booked this hotel myself and I want to express it so that your future customer could avoid it. It is poorly equipped, old, and rather unfriendly. Finally, it has no luggage storage, even for a few hours because the reception is UN-manned.

J.

Ingrid is the best! She customized a perfect itinerary for travels to Norway. There were several transfers and she scheduled everything seamlessly. Especially enjoyed the lodges she booked for us as they were quaint with kind hosts and good breakfasts (vathnalhasen and midntes to name a few). The Flåm railway was also a highlight of our trip. Everything from renting a car through Kjetil to detailed itineraries and directions was exceptional. During the trip we had questions and Ingrid addresses everything in a timely and friendly manner. Highly recommend Ingrid for all your Norway travel needs.

My guide was Rishi and he did a really nice job of supporting me throughout the trek as I am not terribly athletic. It was a really lovely experience. The driver was very helpful and patient as well.

Anne was always available, friendly and did an outstanding job for us!

We really enjoyed the rock climbing in Napflio with Kostas and Nadine perhaps most of all. Sofia was great on the Santorini Oia, monastery and wine tasting tour. Really helped to make us feel at home. And Katherine was super knowledgable of ancient Greek history and mythology. Brought the museum and Acropolis to life for us.

Napflio and Naxos stand out as the more interactive and fun destinations with a wide variety of things to see and be more spontaneously involved in. Athens, with its diverse historical sites and nightlife, was very engaging and we felt like we could have spent longer. Santorini was a little touristy, but we're glad we went. The caldera tour offset the commercial feel, and some of the smaller towns looked like good places to spend time away from the crowds.

We traveled with another couple and had a wonderful vacation in Greece, thanks to the itinerary we created with Tasos and the support we got from the Travel12 team during our trip. Tasos was a pleasure to work with and very responsive in answering our questions as we developed the itinerary. Pre-arranged car transfers, ferry and flight tickets, and guided tours enabled us to relax and enjoy the rich history, beautiful landscapes and delicious food Greece has to offer. When ferry schedules changed twice, Travel12 informed us and took care of the details. We were delighted to meet Tasos the evening we arrived in Athens and the morning before we returned to the US. We highly recommend kimkim, Tasos, and Travel12!

Here are a few highlights from our 16-day trip:

Athens - Our enthusiastic guide Maria led us on an excellent food tour. We walked through the Plaka, Monastriaki, and Psyri neighborhoods while sampling pastries, Greek coffee, souvlaki and other treats. We also recommend the Mythology Tour through the Acropolis and ancient Athens. Although the drive to Delphi was long, we enjoyed the scenery and the visit to the ancient site.

Crete - Our five days in and around Chania, Vamos/Douliana, and Heraklion/Archanes were a good introduction to the island. The guides and drivers were friendly and helpful, especially Christos who met us at the airport and drove and guided us to Elafonissi Beach, Vamos and Heraklion. Our guide Clio at the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion and at Knossos was very knowledgeable…we were fascinated by the sophistication of the Minoan civilization. We left Crete having learned there is still a lot more to see!

Santorini - While many people are drawn to Santorini because of the pictures of brilliant white buildings and blue-domed churches, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring ancient Thera and Akrotiri, which are a respite from the cruise ship crowds in Fira and Oia. Our guide Anna was engaging and knowledgeable about ancient Greek history and current aspects of life on the island. We also enjoyed a sunny, windy hike along the caldera rim from Fira to Oia led by our wonderful guide Denise. An added bonus to our visit were the many wildflowers in bloom all over the island due to the unusually wet and cool spring. And the view of the caldera from our room was spectacular!

Naxos - We welcomed the warmer weather when we arrived so we could enjoy the beach and swimming in the Aegean Sea, which were only steps away from our hotel. We had fun exploring Naxos town, and visiting the villages of Halki and Apeiranthos. Although our guided hike through the hills was a bit more rugged than we expected, the mountain views and wildflowers were fabulous, and we enjoyed visiting a unique, remote monastery and strolling through picturesque Apeiranthos.

We hope to explore more of Greece in the future!
Barbara and Skip

Harris did a great job coordinating all the crazy-busy days we asked for while in Greece! And an added bonus? We got to meet one of our coordinators, Angeliki, in person on one of our day tours, and it made our day that much more fun. What a great group of folks! I would call them up in a heartbeat to coordinate our next trip to Greece. Thanks, guys, for making our stay so memorable!

Our dream of travelling to Morocco was made possible with the expert assistance of Yassine from Morocco Off the Beaten Track. From the very first email we sent to him, we felt confident that he would put together an itinerary that was exactly what we were wanting- a trip that included culture, arts, food & music.
Our 13 day tour included, Essaouira, Marrakesh, Fes, Chefchaouen & concluded in Tangier.
Our driver Ismail was excellent. We cannot speak highly enough of him. He was a prompt, highly skilled & calm driver. He met us with a smile every morning & was a wonderful resource for us to learn more about Moroccan culture and music, both tradional and current. He was good company for the many hours we spent on the road. His knowledge of local traditional events, enabled us to attend events that are now fond memories of a wonderful, rich & beautiful country.
Throughout our trip we stayed in amazing Riads and had guides that were very well educated thanks to the detailed planning of Yassine & Hassan.
Throughout our trip, Yassine & Hassan were contactable if we needed. We were also given the use of a mobile phone to contact our driver at any time.
A huge thankyou to all who helped plan and make possible  our trip of a life time.
Jay & Andy

Christos was meticulous, responsive and patient in the planning process.
All logistics were taken care of with and all went smoothly.
It was great to have contact with him whilst in Greece and to know that he was available to assist with any queries. I would highly recommend him to plan a trip to Greece.
Thank you Christos!

Memories for a lifetime! We had a wonderful time with Hassan our Marrakech guide, Lamah, Abraham, Mohammed our Imlil hiking guides and especially our driver Hassan who spent 2 weeks with us. Hassan found answers to all our questions and provided great insight to Berber life. We spent 1 day at the beginning and end in Marrakech, 2 days hiking the Atlas Mountains, Ouarzazate, Rose and Dades Valley. We were disappointed we missed the Rose festival but the timing just didn’t work out. The Tondra Gorge, although very crowded on a Sunday, was an education. We enjoyed watching all the locals dancing, singing and having fun. The camel trecking to the tented camp in the Sahara dunes was definitely a highlight. The Berber staff took such wonderful care of us and made sure we had a smile at all times. On one of our travel days we drove through Taroudant where we stopped for a break and found the best deals on rugs @ Tapas Berbere We spent 3 days in Essaouira inside the media which was an incredible experience. Great restaurants, shopping, local activity just outside our door. We enjoyed a great cooking class @ l’Atelier which included a walk and education at a spice suk.

Having most dinners pre arranged worked well because we were tired and would not have wanted to search for restaurants. We enjoyed all the accommodations, especially the Riads. The only accommodation we would not recommend using again was Les Jardins de Ouarzazate which was not clean and loaded with flys.

A couple of recommendations for improving the experience: at the airport hold a sign with the guests name in order to find the driver. I was told to look for a sign that read OT Voyages, but actually the sign had the name of the Riad which I was not looking for, so took a while. Throughout the trip it was very difficult to change large bills from the ATM, even at hotel reception. If the driver could carry a roll of coins to offer exchange to the guests, it would be very helpful. We wanted to tip staff at hotels... for their great service but couldn’t always get change. A daily information plan would be helpful, ie what time/where a guide would meet us in Marrakech, length of the drive each day, the hiking plan in Imlil (we thought we’d drop our luggage at the hotel first then hike so we weren’t prepared when we pulled over to the trail on the way), and more detail on the desert camp (we didn’t realize we could ride the camels anytime and just needed to give them notice the evening before for sunrise).

Overall, we had a fabulous trip, loved all our guides, enjoyed good restaurants, good accommodations and the Kim Kim staff was very responsive to questions while planning the trip and while on the tour. We highly recommend Kimkim!

I have traveled a lot internationally but this was the first trip that Christos from Kim Kim planed for me and three friends. It was the most amazing experience. The trip was planned very well and was pretty much worry free. Christos was available day and night to answer questions and help when needed. Best experience and customer service. Would recommend Christos and his company to friends and family!

I always use local guides and drivers when I travel. This is the first time I used kimkim online without using a travel agent from where I live. I was skeptical and a bit nervous at first. It turned out to be one of the best decisions. The best things about kimkim is that its' travel agents are living in the places that you want to travel so they have the most up-to-date info of where and when to go. My local agent, Chris is very knowledgeable of Greece. He listened to my unique requirements and custom built an itinerary for four people in my group. We all loved the schedule and places that we visited. We visited the must see archaeological sites and enjoyed the peaceful Naxos island. Chris was able to find me rooms where I had a direct view of the sunset in Santorini and Aegean sea from my room in Naxos. Local guides for the "Taste of Athens" walking tour and Acropolis were very friendly and accommodating. Eva, the local guide for the "Taste of Athens" tour changed the itinerary throughout the day to accommodate our needs. She is the best. Chris was always in contact with us to make sure everything was ok. Although there were problems in transportation, Chris resolved the problem to my satisfaction. One suggestion for Chris is to provide acknowledgement and update to changes or requests within 24 hours. This is very important especially to clients who have never used Chris before. Overall, I am still very satisfy with the services provided by kimkim staff and Chris.

The only thing we didn't like about our trip was that it was over.
Stunnigly beautiful mountains and villages, fresh water, cozy cabins and delicious food.
Our guide Samer was not only a true professional but also a wonderful person we really enjoyed spending time with. Highly recommended and we look forward to coming back.

The planning and execution of this trip was outstanding, as Sean (U.S. tour agent) and Ulyana (Russian tour agent) customized and coordinated a tour to meet my interests and exceed my expectations for the trip of a lifetime to Russia!

My itinerary included Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal, and St. Petersburg. I was met/dropped off by an English-speaking assistant or tour guide and a driver at every airport and train station. I never had to worry about finding my hotel or catching the correct train on time. Not only was all my in-country major transportation covered, but rides to and from stations, as well as door-to-door pick up and drop off for every tour was provided 100% of the time.

Because of the personalized nature of the tour, I never had to "wait" for others to board a bus, eat in a restaurant that didn't suit my tastes, or visit a museum that was of little interest to me. Drivers and guides were always punctual, and I was always asked for input on pick-up times, what types of food I liked, and preferences in destinations. I always had a number I could call or text if I needed assistance.

The tour guides were all personable, knowledgeable, and qualified--Olga (Vladimir/Suzdal regional), the other Olga (Vladimir/Suzdal historical), Svetlana (Moscow), and Tatiana (St. Petersburg). Not only did they explain the sights, arrange the days to avoid traffic, and offer extra stops they knew I would find interesting, each guide was willing to have lunch with me every day, engage me in conversation, and answer my many questions. Though I was a solo traveler in Russia, it was as though I had a friend in each city. Even my regular transportation assistant in Moscow, Eugene, was very engaging and willing to discuss cultural topics as he drove me to or from my hotel or waited with me for a train.

Unlike group tours that would have merely "hit the high points" in each city, this tour was arranged specifically for my interests and tastes. From the planning stage, Sean and Ulyana made suggestions and changes to my itinerary to meet my requests and requirements. On the trip, the guides were willing to slow down and go into even more detail when I asked questions, stopping to address my inquiries. They were also willing to move on when they realized I was ready to go to the next site. Since I was a group of one, each day was tailored to the pace I chose to keep.

The cost of this personalized tour was a bit more than a standard group tour, but considering the number of sites I visited, the insights and perspectives I gained from guides, the customized schedule, the personalized touches, the privacy of my own hotel room, and the absolute peace of mind I had through the entire tour, it was a bargain!

I highly recommend this tour to a solo traveler, or to a small or large group of like-minded individuals who want to see and do more than the "standard tour of Russia", tailored to their tastes and interests.