Kimkim Trip Reviews

Planning Notes

1. Final itinerary should come out to the group sooner. There was little to no time to consider changes for the group (example, we would have liked starting an hour later each day)

Transportation Notes

1. Our Bogota to Santa Marta flight was a complete mess! We didn't have confirmed seats and couldn't pre book them due to bad wifi connection speeds in Bogota. Because of this we almost didn't get to go on our flight and needed to wait while the airline asked 7 volunteers to take a later flight. Even when we finally got seats they were all dispersed and it took additional changes to ensure the children could be with someone from our group.

2. Transportation to the fishing village and final transportation to the Cartagena airport for the last transfer were super tight! This was strange considering that for our other trips the vehicle was sufficiently large enough.

Bogota Notes

1. Walking tour was cut short due to rain. Is there anyway to have a more concrete back up plan if weather intervenes?

2. Adding a souvenir destination in some of the market areas of Bogota to the walking tour would be great to explore some of the handmade/cultural items available.

3. Ingrid, our Bogota guide, was kind, helpful, and friendly. Would definitely recommend her to other groups.

4. Hotel (Casa Deco) was in a good location and the staff were all helpful and friendly. Though the construction on that road made it difficult for our transportation to get in and out of the area.

5. Monserrate portion of trip was awesome. Great views, easy to access, & shopping available. Plenty of time to spend at our own pace.

Santa Marta Notes

1. Hotel was in a central location and staff was friendly & helpful.

2. However, hotel (Casa Ferol) nickeled & dimed everything we needed - extra charge for drinks during breakfast, charging for a bucket of ice without previously telling us it would cost us extra, etc.

3. Tayrona Park guides (Angel & Jorge) were great. Friendly, knowledgable, and attentive to the group. They did everything - helping kids and older adults with the hike and helping with ordering of lunch.

4. Tayrona hike is NOT for all fitness levels. Older adults and young children struggled with the heat, length of the hike, and large uneven steps in the hiking areas. Some of the adults with back and knee problems struggled with the hike as well.

5. Large waterfall of Marinka was awesome. High hammock and swimming was very nice.

6. Hummingbird stop was something we really enjoyed

7. Pozo Azul was a long, somewhat treacherous hike (wet rocks that we had to scale) for a small payoff compared to what we saw in the morning. Probably our least favorite stop on our trip.

8. Coffee plantation stop was boring. Nothing was actually happening (none of the equipment was running or being used) so following the guides words was difficult without seeing it in action. Also explanations given to the group were too detailed and made it super hard to follow.

9. A warning about how bumpy and windy the roads in Minca would have been appreciated. Several people in our party felt ill from all the bouncing (especially the children).

10. The driver in and around Santa Marta (and who also drove us to Cartagena) was EXCELLENT.

11. We loved the authenticity of the Minca restaurant on the slide of the cliff.

Cartagena Notes

1. Sergio (our tour gudie) was excellent. Presented things well about the history of Colombia.

2. The Emerald museum stop of our city tour by bus felt forced and more like a ploy to get a purchase of emeralds than an informational stop about Colombia's culture.

3. Rosario Island was a great stop. Snorkeling was fun and this stop was our most relaxing of our entire trip.

4. While walking tour was excellent, again, we would have appreciated a more planned opportunity for souvenir shopping.

5. Canoe trip thru mangroves was a bit too long. Crouched over for a whole hour was a bit rough on our backs and knees (especially for the older adults).

6. Our guide (believe it was Enrique) was awesome. He was open, friendly, and made it a point to learn our names. He also tried to relate to our children to make them more comfortable. He communicated things well and felt like a member of our group versus someone who was hired to guide us. Would definitely recommend him to others.

Joaquin Andino- very good guide with a en general culture. Someone who can be steongly recommended.
Pablo, a responsible and dedicated person. Simply adorable.

Our trip to Morocco was fabulous with the help of Larbi. We toured the country without any hassles, our ride was comfortable and the people who were there as part of Larbi's team were amazing. We don't have any complaints at all. The hotels all suited our needs. I am so glad we planned this trip through kimkim, I'm pretty sure there's no better way to do it. We recommend kimkim to everyone who wants to visit Morocco!

Wow where to even start. Our time in Bhutan was so incredible we are still dreaming about it, and it would not have been the same without the amazing care from Vishal and Sonam.

They put in so much attention to customize the perfect trip for your needs. (They even know which room in the hotel has the best views!) Vishal and Sonam will go out of their way to ensure your stay in Bhutan is comfortable.

Our guide, Tek, was very accommodating. My boyfriend and I were doing our first multi-day backpacking trip, and Tek was supportive through the whole journey. He gave us the perfect balance of personal attentiveness and space, had answers to all our questions, and also was very easy to get along with.

I am definitely coming to Trophel tours for our next trip to Bhutan- :)

Our guide arrived 1 1/2 hours later than scheduled. Concierge called you after waiting a half hour and we were informed that the guide would pick us up in an hour. The guide did arrive in an hour and was wonderful. He did not know what happened, only said that he got a call an hour ago and asked if he could do them a favor. Obviously, it was a major mess up. The guide did make up for your error as he was wonderful; very knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend the day with. Not happy and would not recommend Kim Kim. Sveindis Maria was very helpful with making plans.

We had a wonderful 14 days in Sicily with an extension of 2 nights in Lipari and 2 additional nights in Rome. Marianne was very helpful, especially when we altered our Mt Etna excursion and she then added an additional dinner to our trip. The only recommendation my husband and I were to make is if you plan to drive to Syracuse's part of the City called Ortygia, it should be mentioned that you need to 1st park your car in longterm parking and then take a taxi to the hotel as only residents' cars are allowed.

It was amazing specially Lena and Sharif the the tour guide.Highly recommend it.

Our trip to Iceland was terrific! Sotiria done a great job planning our trip and the information provided to us both before we arrived and with the information packet we received upon arrival made the trip go without a flaw. Gullfoss, Geysir, Skafoss waterfall, the black sand beach of Reynisdrangar, Glacier Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon all were amazing and did not disappoint. Our trip to the Westman Islands fulfilled my wife's bucket list of watching Puffins in their habitat. The hotels Sotiria set us up with were top notch and the breakfasts included with each location made the day start out great. Our family thanks you for making our trip to Iceland one of our most memorable trips to date. Iceland is such a beautiful country. Kimkim and Sotiria made our experience something we will always cherish.

100/10 would strongly recommend booking through kimkim for a trek through Nepal!

I inquired on a whim just to ask a few questions and Mads and Amanda took full reigns to cater the trip specifically for what we wanted to see, do, and experience all within our time frame. Their tips were very informative and helpful as well as prompt.

As for the actual trek, we got taxi pick up with our guide, Naress, on the first day and he accompanied us 24/7 after that. Naress was AMAZING. He cared for us on the 14 hour Jeep ride to Phaplu and made sure we knew what was going on. He always made sure we were fed, warm, and taking breaks to rest. His guidance was necessary and he taught us so much about Nepali culture. He also taught us plenty of Nepali phrases we could use to talk to the people we met at the tea houses. We also had a Sherpa, Mingmar Sherpa, who carried some of the luggage weight. GRATEFUL FOR THIS. My favorite town was Junbesi where we visited a monastery, but the highlight of the trip was seeing Everest from the top of Pikey Peak. A little cold due to the rainy season climate, but absolutely stunning.

On the jeep ride back, Naress purchased an extra seat so that we would have more room on the 8 hour ride home. This. was. life giving. THANK YOU NARESS!

Overall, the only thing I was confused by was the packing list. I don't remember being told we would have a Sherpa or that we should bring x, y, z warm gear. Maybe that could be an improvement?

I cannot thank the kimkim team enough for this trip. I have already recommended the company to 4 different friend groups heading to Nepal later this year, and I will certainly go back to kimkim if I return to Nepal one day.
Thank you and happy trails!

It was truly a pleasant and wonderful experience from start to end! Amanda and Mads were really awesome and prompt in answering my queries. Thank you for their patience because it took so long to confirm my trip. Co-ordination of the team was flawless, it was a thoughtful gesture for us to meet Raj at the end of the trip to review the trek and also to understand the company a little more. The trek was awesome, it was really beautiful and the landscape was so varied and diverse! Chhiring was a professional, helpful and fantastic guide! He went over and above to make our experience memorable, it was enriching to hear stories of his experience, the history and culture of the region. Our porters, Santa and Mannosh were also awesome! it was pleasant to have them around and I was very grateful for the hard work that they put in, we also had fun afternoons playing card games and sharing laughs! Himalayan trails has a stellar team! I will not hesitate to go on my next trek in Nepal with them again!

Amazing Experience!

We organized a short 4 day trip, courtesy Ingrid from the Kim kim team.

Remain amazed by the fabulous service levels on display, especially when it came to acquiescing to our requests for changes/amendments/plans, in line with our sensitivities and special considerations. Top notch!

Our trip included Geilo, Bergen, Oslo. Would like to come back again sometime soon (hopefully)

Highly recommend:
- a trip to Norway;
- under the aegis of Kim kim
- handled professionally by expert staff like Ingrid.

Booking the trip was fine, but once I got there I did not receive the services that I booked. So many important details were left out of the itinerary. I wish I could talk about my guide, but I wasn't given one. I was given a non English speaking driver. I can't talk about memorable experiences because I didn't get to enjoy any villages to meet local people and had no one to translate for me. The local tour company couldn't believe I wasn't given a local guide. This was the WORST TOUR I have ever taken. It would have been way better and less expensive to book my own driver. I even paid my entrance fees which were suppose to be included. I would like to see a breakdown of how the $1900 is dollars was spent. In my opinion, I did not receive the services that I paid for. This should be an embarrassment to your company @

Marco was so helpful and always responded very promptly. All the guides and drivers were great, especially Haile.

Preeti & Haldor did a great job with our itinerary! The kayak and hike on the glacier was a big highlight. We had a great guide named Marek. The blue lagoon is a must do and would only add the in water massages (must do in advance as sold out when we arrived). One of the most memorable trips of my life....and I proposed (Preeti gave me some great ideas of where to do it!) while on the Westman Islands and she said YES!. Highly recommend The Kimkim Team!

An amazing trek, short but challenging for us. Beautiful landscape and views of the Annapurnas. Our guide Tendu and porter Dorje were very patient and accommodating. We went in the off season, but were very lucky with both the weather and open tea houses. The only unfortunate thing was that the packing list provided to us was definitely optimized for the fall and winter, and we were way over-laden with warm clothes, rain gear and sleeping bags that we didn't need. Overall a fantastic experience from start to finish.

Marianne did a great job of arranging our walking trip on the Francigena way from San Miniato to Siena. The hotel arrangements were great, the bag pickup was flawless and the taxis she arranged that allowed us to cut down each day to a reasonable 10-12 miles a day of walking were aways on time. Working with her was well worth the money.

My friend and I had the BEST experience with booking through kimkim, as well as, working with Raj to plan out our adventure. We had many questions before and after arriving to our destination and Raj and team were so helpful throughout the entire experience. We gave an idea of things we would be interested in doing while in Nepal and Raj, Anura and team planned it out flawlessly. Our only complaint is that we didn't stay longer to experience more of what Nepal has to offer. We had no worries traveling while in the hands of this team. They transported us where we needed to go and we had a guide at each destination. We spent a day visiting the local temples, a couple days trekking through the mountains ending with camping out at a beach resort as we prepared for a white water rafting trip. But our last destination was one of my favorite stops, the city of Bhaktapur. We toured the city from sunup to sundown with our guide. I feel like we had a behind the scenes look at the culture and lifestyle and loved every minute of it. The guide was superb, the places he took us were amazing- I couldn't have asked for a better experience! Thank you Raj and team! This entire trip was definitely a memorable one thank to your team and I am definitely looking forward to visiting again one day!

Ed Reeves provides a very unique, custom service. We enjoyed 3 private day trips from Tirana with Ed or Nesti, one of his excellent Albanian guides. Ed’s 4 wheel drive vehicles allow you to access the “real” Albania. Day 1 we visited Durres and then on to a little known beach and a fabulous seafood lunch right overlooking the sea. Day 2 took us to the historic Greek / Roman site of Apolonia, but then on to the lesser known, and less accessible Bylis (which we had to ourselves) and also the magical Ottoman city of Berat where we had a fabulous tasting meal of local Albanian dishes. Day 3 took us to stunning mountain scenery and we had the chance to hike through pristine landscapes. Our meal of lamb at a local hostelry was mouthwatering! Ed provides adventure, exceptional local experiences and the chance to reach remote and unspoiled parts of Albania. Highly recommend if you are looking to discover the lesser travelled places in this fascinating country that is only just opening up to tourism.

My experience with kimkim looks a lot like the daily temperature chart on my weather app: high at the very outset when a friendly woman in Tennessee took down the personal particulars of our well-traveled four person group (whose ages ranged from 84 to 78), descending to a series of lows when the first agent assigned to our group persistently erred in the details of our trip (how many days and nights, how many days for car rental, etc., and ultimately sent us a final bill before ever providing us with an itinerary). The temperature graph went up dramatically when competent Preeti arrived on the scene, and stayed up during our first 4 nights in Iceland, all on the incredibly beautiful Snæfellsnes peninsula. It’s hard to pick a single high point, but the setting and lunch at Budir, and the setting (amidst hundreds of breeding Arctic Terns in the fields and Kittiwakes in the cliffs) and the elegantly restrained rooms in the cottages at Arnarstapi, our lobster lunch at Hraun, and the wide, wide waterfalls at Hraunfossar and Barnafoss- these things come to mind immediately.
We were incredibly happy travelers, in fact, until having picked our way through a maze of small and smaller roads, we arrived in the rain at the doorstep of the Hotel Kriunes, replete in all its faded southwestern/Mexican splendor. Construction in progress, extremely unwelcoming owners, gloomy corridors, no handicapped access to the badly lit lower level, etc., etc. I’ve been through all this before at some length with Preeti, so refer you to that correspondence for details. Whatever Preeti and the owners may say or think (and i’m not sure whether Preeti has ever seen the place), the Kriunes was nowhere near the level of quality that any of our group would ever find acceptable, nor could the offer of a $50 discount and free sandwiches, or even free rooms, have ever made any difference. Preeti says it was three-star, and maybe it once was, but i have to say that the ambience of the place was positively disagreeable; it did not measure up in any way to the charming little places we stayed in all the other nights. So, not wanting to ruin our entire visit during an endless argument pitting my opinion against Preeti’s and the owners, we made alternate arrangements on the spur of the moment, cancelled our rooms, paid for our sandwiches, tipped the helpful women at the reception desk. And found our way to a very nice hotel in Reykjavik’s city center.
So what did we think of kimkim’s services? We loved almost every minute of our short stay in Iceland, and we have Preeti to thank for much of what we enjoyed, but the gigantic mistake with the Kriunes - and her failure to understand why we felt the way we did and most particularly her inability to fix things for us (she appeared to be taking the side of the hotel, not we who were her direct clients), leaves me with decidedly mixed feelings about what added benefit we got from kimkim’s management of our travel arrangements in Iceland. I hope to hear back from you.

I highly recommend Kim Kim, and in particular Sajith. He created an itinerary that was perfect for us. We loved every moment of our Sri Lankan experience! Thank you for an amazing time!