Kimkim Trip Reviews

We really enjoyed working with Lucas to build a custom trip that would meet our needs and travel plans. I get overwhelmed with activity choices, and it was nice the the service help narrowed down the options to some top choices. The real treat was having the private or group transfers pre-arranged for most of the trip. It was nice to have everything planned out with plenty of time between activities and travels. read more

We really enjoyed working with Lucas to build a custom trip that would meet our needs and travel plans. I get overwhelmed with activity choices, and it was nice the the service help narrowed down the options to some top choices. The real treat was having the private or group transfers pre-arranged for most of the trip. It was nice to have everything planned out with plenty of time between activities and travels.

Hotel Reviews

Lunajuim

El Chalten

The hotel lounge was nice but the rooms were very dated and not super cozie (felt more akin to a hostel). They also requested we leave our key at the front desk whenever we left, which we weren't super comfortable with. Staff were all very friendly though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loi Suites Iguazu Hotel

Puerto Iguazú

The setting is beautiful! There was a good breakfast spread as well. Rooms were definitely starting to show age, but they were nice otherwise. The staff was very friendly and even helped arrange a taxi just for an item we left in the room after we had already been taken to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful, but also far from town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Laguna de los Tres Trek

El Chalten

Our guide was great and kept the group at a comfort but necessary pace. The tour took a bit longer than anticipated, but would have been sooo much longer of we didn't have Lucas to keep us on schedule!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting the Argentine Waterfalls of Iguazu

Argentina

The falls are beautiful and impressive, but the crowds and our guide really detracted from sights for us. It was hard to get a scale of the falls since you are so close to them and don't see the whole expanse until the end. Our guide really rushed us through the park and didn't allow much time for pictures or watching the wildlife. He also took a literal roll-call every 30 minutes or so, so the whole tour felt very micro-managed. By far the best part of the day was the boat ride. Without the boat experience we would have been very disappointed.

Quality of Experience

It was all very rushed and we would have liked a little more freedom to explore.

Food

No food provided and what was available in the park was expensive and just ok.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide rushed us through and kept doing a roll call very frequently throughout the day. We felt treated more like irresponsible children.

Transport

Iguazú Falls Great Adventure

Puerto Iguazu

This was by far the best part of visiting the falls! The tour was a little intense as they drive literally into the waterfall, but it was definitely exhilarating! You will be soaked, but dry off quickly in the heat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Telmo Tango Show & Dinner

Buenos Aires

The show was nice and the food was pretty good. However, there wasn't much excitement or chemistry between the dancers. You could tell it was just another day on the job for them. The highlight was a section in the middle of the show were they show other, more traditional types of dances. The venue is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

I wish the show felt more authentic or passionate.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, nothing was bad about the event, but none of the staff seemed to enjoy the job or dancing.

Transport

Our driver was almost an hour late and we didn't have a number to contact. The timing all worked out, but a phone number would have been helpful so we could have checked to make sure we weren't forgotten!

Biking the Heart of the City!

Buenos Aires

The bike tour was a great way to tour Buenos Aires...which is massive! We only saw a small portion of the City but were able to get a better sense of the areas. The guide was excellent with hand signals, and the pace and difficult level was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Food

The lunch stop was excellent! Way better than I expected based on a similar looking venues from back in the states.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Argentine Experience Dinner & More..

Buenos Aires

This was a wonderful, multi-part experience. We loved all aspects: the cocktail making, the empanada tutorial, and all the food. The staff were all wonderful and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As a family of 19 ranging from teens to senior citizens there was a lot of anticipation for what was to come. After many flight delays and hours of travel we were met with Abdou who made sure the rest of our trip was trouble - free. Abdou is full of great energy, very kind, patient, and wants to make sure you have the most fun possible. As we traveled across Morocco Abdou introduced us to the amazing culture and history that this country holds. Immediately you can tell he loves Morocco and... read more

As a family of 19 ranging from teens to senior citizens there was a lot of anticipation for what was to come. After many flight delays and hours of travel we were met with Abdou who made sure the rest of our trip was trouble - free. Abdou is full of great energy, very kind, patient, and wants to make sure you have the most fun possible. As we traveled across Morocco Abdou introduced us to the amazing culture and history that this country holds. Immediately you can tell he loves Morocco and that he's very passionate about sharing his culture with everyone. Some of the highlights were watching the sunset next to a Spanish mosque on top of a mountain, riding the camels through the desert, and being invited to his home where we met his wonderful wife, Sharon.
During the bus rides, Abdou kept us entertained. We played guessing games and the kids even wrote a paragraph based off the game :
"The country of Morocco is represented by it's flag which include the colors red and green. So far on this trip we visited the city Chefchaouen which is known for being the the blue city. Some of the meals we have eaten so are are Tagine which consists of potatoes, carrots and other vegetables and Couscous. We also visited Volubilis where we saw Roman ruins. Then we went to Fez where we saw many donkeys and stayed in the riad. Lastly we have tried Hammam which was an interesting experience for us all"
If you are looking for an adventure where you truly feel immersed in Moroccan culture without complications, then we highly recommend Morocco Immersion Tours and Adventures to plan your trip. We are very grateful for them and we will be sure to use them for our next trip!

Activity Review

Camel trek to your Camp

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am a well-travelled individual and I have to say, the service Hervé at KimKim provided was second to none. He was able to listen to our intereste and build a detailed, custom trip to exceed our expectations. Not only was every last detail tended to (he would check us in for our flights without being asked, he would make every transfer confirm our pick up, etc) but everything he arranged was top notch. I literally texted Hervé every day of our trip with some question or new request, and he... read more

I am a well-travelled individual and I have to say, the service Hervé at KimKim provided was second to none. He was able to listen to our intereste and build a detailed, custom trip to exceed our expectations. Not only was every last detail tended to (he would check us in for our flights without being asked, he would make every transfer confirm our pick up, etc) but everything he arranged was top notch. I literally texted Hervé every day of our trip with some question or new request, and he was always quick to respond and provide whatever help we needed. I have never experienced such great service and really cannot praise him enough. I will definitely use their services again!

Hotel Reviews

L'Hôtel Palermo

Buenos Aires

The service was great, however we experienced issues with the shower plumbing when we were there that caused the bathroom to flood every time we took a shower.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blanca Patagonia Boutique Inn and Cabins

El Calafate, Santa Cruz

Hotel itself was great, the location was just a little too far out of town to access it easily

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

I’m

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Cantera Lodge de Selva by DON

Puerto Iguazú

This resort was really cool but was somewhat isolated from town. We consequently ate at the restaurant multiple times and luckily to food was pretty good there. Pool was a hit aged and needs to be resurfaced

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Buenos Aires Walking tour

Buenos Aires

We walked over 7 miles in this tour but it was totally worth it. Our guide was so informative and accommodating. We learned so much about the city which made the tour a must do for any visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Was a mix of walking, subway and buses

Day Trip to the Pampas & Estancia Lunch

Buenos Aires

Our tour guide and the staff at the estancia provided a great experience. We felt like celebrities when we were greeted by the staff upon our arrival at the estancia.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Estancia Visit & Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

This guide did a great job of navigating the tour in both English and Spanish. Lunch at the Estancia was amazing as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigation to the glaciers

El Calafate

Was not a fan of the crowded boat transport but the scenery was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The transport driver drove like a maniac

Transport

4x4 tour to the footsteps of indigenous people

El Calafate

The scenery and cane lunch were amazing. However, the tour guide provided most of his attention to a Spanish speaking blogger and did not provide much narration in English

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day to the Argentinian side of the falls

Argentina

This tour requires several miles of walking and our guide was not very helpful at all. In fact she told us we would only get misted in the optional boat tour when in fact we were completely drenched (and consequently not prepared with towels or dry clothes).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Did not provide really much narration at all

Transport

Half day tour to the Iguazú Falls (Brazilian side)

Argentina

This Troy guide what’s much more informative and accommodating. And overall the view/experience from the Brazilian side was much better than from the Argentinian side.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zala and Tomaz planned an excellent, detailed itinerary with transportation, tours and lodging. Hotel Mio in Munich was the best. Located in the old city on a pedestrian shopping zone, rooms were quiet and one had a view of an old church clock tower. The rooms had espresso machines. Berlin's Hotel 38 rooms were very small and the bathrooms were tiny- similar to a train, but the breakfast was superior with plentiful offerings and fantastic staff. It would have been nice to have had... read more

Zala and Tomaz planned an excellent, detailed itinerary with transportation, tours and lodging. Hotel Mio in Munich was the best. Located in the old city on a pedestrian shopping zone, rooms were quiet and one had a view of an old church clock tower. The rooms had espresso machines. Berlin's Hotel 38 rooms were very small and the bathrooms were tiny- similar to a train, but the breakfast was superior with plentiful offerings and fantastic staff. It would have been nice to have had lotion in the hotel rooms in both Munich and Berlin but they did have water bottles. The one night we were at Ruby Louise Hotel in Frankfurt was good- there was lotion in the rooms, but no water bottles. Breakfast didn't start until 7am which was a little tight since our airport ride was scheduled for 7:30am. The restaurant that was booked for us on New Year's Eve, Zu den 12 Aposteln, was perfect and tasty, like eating in a cozy wine cellar. We would not have found this on our own.
High-speed trains were efficient, stress-free and a great way to travel- much more comfortable and better than renting a car.
Mr. Harald Zawuski was an exceptional guide! He was very knowledgeable, engaging, compassionate and thorough as he walked us for 6 hours around Berlin. Time really flew by and we gained a rich appreciation for the history and culture and were lucky enough to even see famous people- Angela Merkel and Christoph Waltz!
In Munich, Mr Thomas was great and took us to places we would not have known to go to on our own, such as inside the Preysing Palais.
The Neuschwanstein bus tour was excellent- we saw Linderhof, Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein. Our guide Barbara and driver were attentive and informative with a reasonable number of about 30 people with bananas, apples, cookies, peanuts, and snack pretzels on the bus as well as a bathroom. They also offered us a local bottle of beer on the way back to Munich. We walked the strenuous trail from the start of the visitor center to Marienbrucke and further up to the overlook at Neuschwanstein. Not for the faint of heart, it was an invigorating work-out but with amazing panoramic views.
This was a nicely organized adventure and I was happy to have their planning expertise. This was a rewarding time-saver for a memorable holiday family trip with our college son and teenage daughter.

Everything was exceptional - guides knowledgeable and well spoken. Drivers were on time. Lodging was great. Enjoyed the Arenal area more then the Caribbean location but both were fine.

EXCEPT The trip to the Maleku

After a one-hour drive through the northern plains, you'll arrive at the Indian community Palenque Tonjibe and be warmly received by their people. Following a brief presentation, you'll begin a hike through the village where you'll see many important cultural aspects of... read more

Everything was exceptional - guides knowledgeable and well spoken. Drivers were on time. Lodging was great. Enjoyed the Arenal area more then the Caribbean location but both were fine.

EXCEPT The trip to the Maleku

After a one-hour drive through the northern plains, you'll arrive at the Indian community Palenque Tonjibe and be warmly received by their people. Following a brief presentation, you'll begin a hike through the village where you'll see many important cultural aspects of this special place. The antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship, the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. Next, you'll take a trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. Here you'll also be able to observe antique huacas or indigenous tombs. Finally, you'll pass through a Palenque where you'll be treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress, followed by a traditional meal. You'll depart around 1:00 pm back to La Fortuna, where you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Meeting time: 12:50 pm
Confirmation # AMA-2463

There was no brief presentation. There was no hike through the village in fact there looked like 3 buildings from where we stood one of which was the bathroom. No antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship. No explanation of the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. No trail trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. No observation of antique huacas or indigenous tombs.

What did happen - Entered a Palenque where we were treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress. There was some discussion about life style and maybe the use of cocoa but it was hard to follow. His English was good, his descriptions were not. We were shown a dance around the fire and then danced with the man and his wife. The only 2 Maleku on site. The room was filled with "artworks and crafts" for sale. Some stuff okay but most was of lower quality seen in other sites.

Everything else we did was so top notch that this was a real disappointment.

Ro said you seemed to be reluctant about this excursion. You were right. Big difference in the advertisement and the reality maybe since Ed and Claire were the only two visitors????

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Corobici

San José

great entry into Costa Rica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

wonderful grounds - good morning views of Arenal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

step below the Arenal Monoa - If the Arenal Manoa had not been so good .....

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to beach -

Staff

Guy (not gentleman) at the desk bordered on being rude with my wife

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn San Jose Aurola

San José

just what I would expect in a downtown hotel. Clean, comfortable and well located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

covered in opening

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

hot spring were warm - needed to ask for hotter water

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mistico Hanging Bridges were great. Lots of animals and birds. Guide had good eyes. Claire and I being 80 did not hike down to the waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

nice easy trip. Saw lots of neat flora and fauna. Good guide - good boat operator. Everything moves at the right speed to see everything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

liked the raft more than the boat. river was up so no getting out and dragging the raft. Flow was such that the trip was too short. Guess we can.t have everything. GOOD GUIDE. Had good eyes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

interesting. Good info on sloths

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Ain't no jaguars here. Rescue center for others. mainly baby sloths. CCTV would have been appreciated, Understand the need to keep them isolated. Short trip and worthwhile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Good intro to Bribri. Enjoyed introduction initial presentation. Nice tour of medicinal plants. Understand thee chocolate process better. Will buy some beans stateside and try it. Good video of cracking the roasted cocoa beans.

Quality of Experience

Food

likes the banana leaf bowls

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent guide. second time we had her

Transport

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Charlotte was the perfect agent to work with and provided us with an individualized schedule for an adventurous family with active teens. We traveled to Jaco Beach, Monteverde, Arenal/La Fortuna, and Sarapiqui - a place I never heard of before but a haven for white water rafting and chocolate tours. As a mom, I loved that she combined educational hiking tours (lead by experienced guides) with family bonding time (outrigger canoeing, zip lining, white... read more

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Charlotte was the perfect agent to work with and provided us with an individualized schedule for an adventurous family with active teens. We traveled to Jaco Beach, Monteverde, Arenal/La Fortuna, and Sarapiqui - a place I never heard of before but a haven for white water rafting and chocolate tours. As a mom, I loved that she combined educational hiking tours (lead by experienced guides) with family bonding time (outrigger canoeing, zip lining, white water rafting). All of our transportation ran like clockwork which allowed us to experience all the “Costa Rica Essentials” in four different towns. My husband enjoyed the surprise private room to celebrate his birthday too. I highly recommend Charlotte and her team at Serendipity. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Club del Mar Oceanfront

Jacó

Authenticity & Character

Location

I loved the property, but not much to walk to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tilajari Hotel Resort

Fortuna

I realize that we were traveling during the peak season, so finding a place to stay was challenging. One of our rooms was a little smelly but that may have had to do with the septic tank. The staff were not as happy as the other hotels, but again, I appreciate that we had a clean safe place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location to La Fortuna was a $40 cab ride each way.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Quinta Inn Sarapiqui

Sarapiqui

Very cute, family run lodge. Loved that they were so friendly and cared about everyone who stayed here. The staff made sure that we had a large enough table for every meal of our stay (8 ppl) We really enjoyed taking the cooking class - made empanadas. Bring a magnet from your home town so that she can display it on her wall. (I will be sending her one)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ocean Outrigger Adventure

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Sarapiquí River, Class II-III

Costa Rica

Walter and Kiki were excellent guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Festive Dinner for all hotel guests!

Costa Rica

Cloudforest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Andy was amazing! He knew so much about the history of Costa Rica and the different regions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line and Hanging Bridges Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Geiner was an excellent host and knew so much about the history of chocolate and fermentation process. We really enjoyed our tour/demonstration.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Naturalist Hike at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

I'm so glad that Charlotte scheduled us to visit this Institute. It seemed like our guide was used to more scientific groups than a family with four teens. But we did learn a lot about the region and original rain forest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Chris was very knowledgeable and engaging!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall experience of KimKim was great. I have to admit, when it started it out, it was very slow at first. My assigned specialist wasn't very responsive. But then, Erin took over, and she was excellent in terms of her timliness and her knowledge. Then, she referred me to an even more localized specialist, Nara, who also was great. I was very happy with their organization and their efforts!

The overall trip to Patagonia was wonderful. The highlights for us were the hikes on both the... read more

The overall experience of KimKim was great. I have to admit, when it started it out, it was very slow at first. My assigned specialist wasn't very responsive. But then, Erin took over, and she was excellent in terms of her timliness and her knowledge. Then, she referred me to an even more localized specialist, Nara, who also was great. I was very happy with their organization and their efforts!

The overall trip to Patagonia was wonderful. The highlights for us were the hikes on both the Argentina side and the Chile side. The Perito Moreno glacier hiking tour was also very memorable. We loved our Santiago city tour guide as well.

The only thing that wasn't so great for us was the hotel accommodations. I understand some of the regular partners that Kim Kim uses were booked up for the times we were going, so that is understandable. But our accomodations in Buenos Aires and Chile were less than ideal considering availability and pricing during the time. All other parts of this trip were amazing, and I would not hestitate to use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Intersur Recoleta

Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Overall hotel location was pretty good. But the rooms and bathrooms were very dated and not what I would consider normal for a four star accommodation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms very dated, rooms very small

Lunajuim

El Chalten

This was more of a hostel experience as I believe KimKim's normal partners were booked up. The rooms were fine. The breakfast was okay. The staff was very friendly. Location was great. For a hostel experience, I think this was good, though we usually prefer staying in nicer places. I think "luxury" is not something that is in abundance when you are in remote Patagonia though, so this was fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hostería Schilling

El Calafate

This was more of a hostel experience as I believe KimKim's normal partners were booked up. The rooms were fine. Heat was not working properly the first night, was better the second night. The breakfast was okay - did like that they cooked fresh eggs if you wanted it. The bathrooms were very barebones. The staff was very friendly. Location was great. For a hostel experience, I think this was good, though we usually prefer staying in nicer places. I think "luxury" is not something that is in abundance when you are in remote Patagonia though, so this was fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hostal El Establo

Puerto Natales

We typically like to stay in hotels, but all typical partners of KimKim were booked up. However, we loved this charming little bed and breakfast. The host was great - so friendly, so helpful, made great breakfasts every morning at the time we wanted. The rooms were cute - everything we needed was in there. Location was a bit far walking from the town square, but it was fine. Would 100% recommend anyone to stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

Heat was not working. Not only could we not control it from our rooms, we had to call the reception any time we wanted it to be warmer or cooler - they said rooms do not have the ability to make temperature changes, only the front desk could. We waited 30 minutes to check in. There was only one person ahead of us - there was no issue, they were just extraordinarily slow. The rooms were tiny, but the bathrooms and sleeping arrangments were fine. The breakfast was a good one - but they ran out of eggs (one hour before breakfast shut down), and there was a line to get a table at 9am. I ended up having to stand and eat my breakfast. There was one staff member - Fernando - who was extraordinarily patient and friendly despite all of the frustrated guests. Kudos to him. With all of the other accommodation options in Santiago, please don't have anyone stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Fernando was great. The rest were very slow and overly willing to help with the issues that kept arising.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Buenos Aires Bicycle Tour (South Sector)

Buenos Aires

Tour guide was 45 minutes late - but we gave him a pass. Traffic was crazy because of the World Cup win. Great bike ride around the city. However - it's dangerous for kids. You often ride in the street, right next to cars and buses. Please know this if you are booking with children.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had to get there on our own, which was fine.

Traditional Tango Show with Dinner

Buenos Aires

Wish we could have done the tango without the dinner. Not worth it for vegetarians. Also - if you have kids - the show starts after 10pm and ends after midnight. Still, the show was great, and a very cool experience for us all. Hated that they picked up five other guests along the way - it took us more than 45 min before we even got to dinner, even though the location was so close to our hotel. Would have rathered saved on the transport expense and uber'ed ourselves

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Lago del Desierto

El Chalten

In theory, this is a great experience. Our weather was not great, so it was hard to kayak against the wind. Totally not the fault of our company. All that being said - the gear was great, and they provided most of it. Wish they would have explained a bit more about what to wear and not wear. What our tour operator told us was not accurate. Of the five kayaks on our trip, two were not perfect - the end of one kept sinking, and another had no backs to the seats. The guide was nice and enthusiastic. Loved the raft to help our kids along. However - the guide never sent us any pictures as he promised after. That's a big problem when he tells us not to take our phones on the kayaks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Laguna de los Tres

El Chalten

This was an amazing hike. Not sure we needed a private guide. But all was great about it. A must do. It's tough - be warned!

Quality of Experience

Food

Packed lunch - hard to make it better.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Minitrekking Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

What an incredible day and site! It's VERY commercialized, but despite that, we thoroughly enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wish we didnt spend 45 min plus picking up others - we were almost always the first to be picked up on all of these tours. And when they are early mornings, 45 extra min is huge.

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Not sure how needed this was as it was the end of our trip. But it was great to meet Nara in person.

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

This was a great way to see the park. Our tour guide (Vincenze?) was so friendly and fun. But he was chatty with almost every other guide he came across, so we would have to wait for him at every stop to finish talking with others before we could move on. We also didnt get a chance to see the eastern part of the park. We were told it was too windy. But we met others who were on private tours and they all got to go to that side of the park, so we felt let down by that. Too much time spent at Hotel Lago Grey - we didnt need a snack, we would have liked to take that time and seen another site.

Quality of Experience

Food

Packed lunch - was okay.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided hike to Las Torres lookout [Central - Base - Central]

Chile

We were hesitant about the group tour. But it worked out well. Guide made us keep on pace, and we had an incredible view at the end

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Nice guide, nice tour, great to learn about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had very memorable and cherished travels during a week long trip to Cambodia over December 2022. From planning to execution, Steve's support and advice was perfect. He understood what I was looking for as a solo traveler and kept my suggestions in mind. I am grateful for the attention to detail and very quick response time nearly always. After two months of planning, it was time to meet Steve before I wrapped up my journey, which was great!

The guides during my trip, both Sreypich and... read more

I had very memorable and cherished travels during a week long trip to Cambodia over December 2022. From planning to execution, Steve's support and advice was perfect. He understood what I was looking for as a solo traveler and kept my suggestions in mind. I am grateful for the attention to detail and very quick response time nearly always. After two months of planning, it was time to meet Steve before I wrapped up my journey, which was great!

The guides during my trip, both Sreypich and Sophoan, were kind and patient with me. They were knowledgeable and answered my many questions on Cambodian culture and history. In addition, the people who drove me around, and those who worked at the places I stayed, were most courteous and professional.

The local specialist and guides are highly recommended anyone planning a trip to the country. With such a layered political history and world famous monuments, Cambodia deserves careful planning and time.

It is helpful to communicate clearly at the time of planning the trip, in putting together a personalised travel plan. Thank you, Steve and colleagues for this refreshing break.

Hotel Reviews

Sambor Village

Kompong Thom

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Phnom Penh Katari Hotel

Phnom Penh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Residence Wat Bo

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sosoro Museum

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Short cyclo tour to Wat Phnom

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch at Eleven One Kitchen

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Food

Banteay Srei & Ta Phrom (same day as sunrise)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day temple exploration by remork (with lunch) - Angkor Thom/Grand Circuit

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sophoan is very knowledgeable and excited to share her country and culture with visitors. Grateful for her kindness and expertise.

Transport

Tuol Sleng & Killing Fields

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phnom Penh to Kompong Thom via Skuon & Santuk Silk Farm

Cambodia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kompong Thom to Siem Reap via Kompong Khleang

Cambodia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sambor Prei Kuk afternoon visit

Kompong Thom

Magical place. Highly recommended. Do not skip this in favor of more famous landmarks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise (and return to hotel for breakfast)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Riverside Walk Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat C - free seating in the two side sections)

Siem Reap

Refreshing introduction to contemporary Cambodia after being steeped in history!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning at leisure (car & guide at disposal)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to... read more

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to answer any questions.

All the activities Marina organized went off beautifully. The guides we had for each walking tour of the cities were on time and excellent.

In Barcelona we enjoyed a tapas dinner and Marina got us excellent seats at a concert in the marvelous Palau Música and tickets to Gaudi locations.

Loved the Scents tour of Granada and all the recommendations given of what to do and where to eat in each city. We had a particular interest in Pedro Almadovar and Marina provided lots of information from film locations to where he lived and personal background.

The app was incredibly helpful and easy to use so all four of us knew the itinerary. The tickets were easy to pull up in the app and guides phone numbers available.

Thank you Marina for all your help. We look forward to using kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Midtown Apartments

Barcelona

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eric Vökel Boutique Apartments - Madrid Suites

Madrid

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chez Moi - Plaza Nueva Luxury Apartment

Granada

Incredible views of Alhambra from apartment and rooftop. Meticulously cleaned. Management very helpful. Loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luz de Sevilla Apartment

Seville

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Self Drive {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Córdoba

Spain

Cordoba is a wonderful stop along the way to Madrid.

Guided Visit of Toledo

Spain

Take this day trip. High speed train excellent. Cathedral fabulous. Toledo incredible.

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

We had a wonderful time cramming a lot of activities in multiple cities into a 12 day period. I am a stickler for excellent communication. Tricia lived up to my expectations. She consistently followed up and did a good job making adjustments to unexpected difficulties.

When we started to organize our trip until the very end was fantastic! Ngima organized our trip perfectly and when we met him we clicked immediately and became friends. He is really a great guy! Our guides for sightseeing Kathmandu and Pokhara were excellent, showing us every little detail and shared stories of both cities. Annapurna panorama trek was such unforgettable experience with beautiful sights and nature. We had great guide Angelo who took care of us as we are his family. Together... read more

When we started to organize our trip until the very end was fantastic! Ngima organized our trip perfectly and when we met him we clicked immediately and became friends. He is really a great guy! Our guides for sightseeing Kathmandu and Pokhara were excellent, showing us every little detail and shared stories of both cities. Annapurna panorama trek was such unforgettable experience with beautiful sights and nature. We had great guide Angelo who took care of us as we are his family. Together with the best porter with the most beautiful smile ever! Acconodation and food during trek were amazing. We will surely come again and will give our faith in Ngimas hands again!

Activity Reviews

Trek from Landruk to Ghandruk (6,365 feet / 1,940 m)

Nepal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Kathmandu

Kathmandu Int. Airport (KTM)

Ngima waited for us and welcomed us! Felt really welcomed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kathmandu Sightseeing tour to Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Pashupatinath

Kathmandu

Guide and driver fantastic! Talked a lot! Find some great stuff about Kathmandu and Nepal!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara, Drive to Astam.

Astam

Trek from Astam to Dhampus (1700m)

Dhampus

Eco lodge and their owners fantastic people! Food was exceptional!

Trek from Dhampus to Landruk (6,234 ft / 1900 m)

Dhampus

Trek from Ghandruk to Kimche, Drive to Pokhara

Ghandruk

Pokhara Sightseeing Tour

Pokhara

Fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu,

Pokhara

we had a wonderful trip to vietnam for 15 days , Our specialist Ha helped me plan the trip . we conversed many texts and she answered all my questions in detail. we first went to Hanoi, the Halong bay for overnight stay, then Hue, Hoi An, Danang , HCM city then to Siem Reap Angkor Wat . we booked our international flight ourselves, but Ha arranged all internal flights, from Hanoi to Hue , then Danang to HCM city , then HCM city to Siem Reap. the flight arrangements were very smoothly . all... read more

we had a wonderful trip to vietnam for 15 days , Our specialist Ha helped me plan the trip . we conversed many texts and she answered all my questions in detail. we first went to Hanoi, the Halong bay for overnight stay, then Hue, Hoi An, Danang , HCM city then to Siem Reap Angkor Wat . we booked our international flight ourselves, but Ha arranged all internal flights, from Hanoi to Hue , then Danang to HCM city , then HCM city to Siem Reap. the flight arrangements were very smoothly . all our guides were very attentive and all drivers drove very safely. total we had 7 guides throughout our trip , all very professional and spoke good enough English to understand

Hotel Reviews

Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Somerset Grand Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Era Cruises

Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Indochine Palace

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Pavillon Hoi An Luxury Resort & Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

not in the downtown area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Somerset Ho Chi Minh Hotel

Ho Chi Minh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa

needs to update the interior

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi Full day city (S) - water puppet show

Hanoi

Our guide Cheung was very attentive, answered all our questions, took us many places

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Morocco was absolutely FANTASTIC! The itinerary was flawless. The destinations, riads, guided tours, transport, just everything! A special shout out to our amazing driver yusuf, who was with us throughout. Morocco is a must visit destination, where every city we visited was unique in its own way. My favorites, however were ChefChaouen, the hike to the Berber village in the Atlas Mountains and the piece de resistance, was the amazing Inara camp in the Agafe desert. Communication... read more

Our trip to Morocco was absolutely FANTASTIC! The itinerary was flawless. The destinations, riads, guided tours, transport, just everything! A special shout out to our amazing driver yusuf, who was with us throughout. Morocco is a must visit destination, where every city we visited was unique in its own way. My favorites, however were ChefChaouen, the hike to the Berber village in the Atlas Mountains and the piece de resistance, was the amazing Inara camp in the Agafe desert. Communication with Said was prompt and efficient and i have to say, this was one of my most memorable vacations ever! I will definitely be recommending your services to all my friends and family!

The good, the bad and the ugly…
Pros:
1 Samir, our local specialist was easily available whenever I needed to contact him. This was necessary as there were multiple hiccups. Additionally, the people he subcontracted to, Bethlehem tours were in touch with me and readily available.
2 We had assistance with the border crossings to make sure that process went smoothly.
3 Our drivers were on time and affable.
4 Our tour guide Hussam was amazing! He really made the trip for us in the Israel... read more

The good, the bad and the ugly…
Pros:
1 Samir, our local specialist was easily available whenever I needed to contact him. This was necessary as there were multiple hiccups. Additionally, the people he subcontracted to, Bethlehem tours were in touch with me and readily available.
2 We had assistance with the border crossings to make sure that process went smoothly.
3 Our drivers were on time and affable.
4 Our tour guide Hussam was amazing! He really made the trip for us in the Israel portion of the trip!
5 Nick was quite entertaining and willing to do anything for us.
6 Israeli breakfasts are amazing.

Cons:
1 I had been given our drivers phone number by Samir, and when that changed, I was not informed of the name change or the telephone change.
He also did not let me know that we were not doing the sunrise hike in Masada. These changes should have been communicated to me.
2 The hotel in Nof Ginnosar was an absolute dump and should have had a rating of two. Extremely dated with bugs. The food was mediocre and there was nowhere else to go.
3 We liked the personality of our driver Johnny and He met us promptly at the airport in Israel. He was always on time and most importantly, he showed up at 3 AM to take us to the airport to go home. However, He took the long way from the airport to our hotel which was clearly obvious to us because we were mapping it on our phones. He would not take instruction and we went in circles taking an hour and a half for a half an hour trip. We were then taken to the incorrect hotel. We eventually made it to the correct hotel. When we returned to Israel, he again took the long way to the hotel through the downtown traffic instead of the freeway, even though I showed him multiple times on my phone how to go. He ignored my suggestions and was on the phone with his wife/family.
3 When we started booking with Kimkim, we wanted to book our own hotels, and they would not let us. I understand that that is likely one of their biggest sources of revenue. However, with that comes the responsibility of making sure the bookings are correct. It was extremely important to me that we had the panoramic tents in Wadi Rum. When we got there, we were told they were no panoramic tents. After many calls to Samir and the office and many delays, we were given one panoramic tent. This was a huge disappointment because my adult son was particularly looking forward to the stargazing which is the whole point of the panoramic tent, and the price that you pay for it. Samir tried to blame it on the hotel, but it was truly the responsibility was his. He apologized for the hiccups on the trip, but was not straightforward with me concerning the tent situation. I am still awaiting the refund from Kimkim for the difference between the panoramic tent and the tent that my adult children ended up staying in since we were unable to get the second panoramic tent. The office should have confirmed these reservations and clearly did not. This is inexcusable, particularly given the expense of this trip. This reservation should have been confirmed. They tried to make it up to us with a dinner in Tel Aviv, which was appreciated , but cannot really make up for the disappointment.
I will make an addendum to this review to let the reader know if I receive the refund due to me for the downgraded room.

Hotel Reviews

Ambassadore Hotel Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Tal By the Beach Hotel

Tel Aviv

Nof Ginosar Kibbutrz Hotel

Tiberias

This hotel should’ve had a rating of less than two. It was extremely extremely dated. They were bugs in my daughters room. The food was mediocre at best. They need new beds, new furnishings, new sheets, comforters, and pillows. Do not stay in this hotel. Very disappointing.

Shams al weibdeh hotel apartment

Amman

It was nice to stay in apartment with a little more room as opposed to a hotel room. The breakfast, however, was very mediocre. There were multiple restaurants we could walk to in the area that were good.

Movenpick Petra Resort

Wadi Musa

Activity Review

Masada Sunrise

Israel

We didn’t get to do this because the site did not open until 8 AM and the sunrise hike would have put us there at 6 AM with nothing to do but to wait until the guy could take the cable car up to the side at 8 o’clock. Make sure you work out these details before you go.

The activities and planning provided by Martin were fantastic - we couldn't have asked for a better combination of places within the 11 days we were honeymooning in Thailand.

Having KimKim book all of these locally and provide transportation to and from was much easier than us managing it ourselves.

That being said, there were some hiccups that I think Kim Kim can improve on. It should be clear what level of service the local specialist is obligated to provide while on the trip -- as... read more

The activities and planning provided by Martin were fantastic - we couldn't have asked for a better combination of places within the 11 days we were honeymooning in Thailand.

Having KimKim book all of these locally and provide transportation to and from was much easier than us managing it ourselves.

That being said, there were some hiccups that I think Kim Kim can improve on. It should be clear what level of service the local specialist is obligated to provide while on the trip -- as certain activities got delayed because of transportation issues. One clear example is when we landed in Surat Thani to go on a night safari in Khao Sok, we were severely delayed (1+ hour) because our driver incorrectly took another passenger! When we faced this issue, we tried communicating with Martin to fix things, but ultimately had to call multiple different kimkim lines to get the driver -- and they ultimately called a taxi to get us there. It would probably make it way easier if they just directly connected us with each local transportation driver.

I also think the digital organization of the trip on kimkim.com could benefit from having a mobile app or some place to clearly attach all of the invoices within a singular trip itinerary. Mobile App makes sense given that you are traveling but always have your phone on you. I had to get around that by uploading this all to my iCloud and managing through folders. It could also make it easier to communicate with local service providers (like drivers).

Hotel Reviews

Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok

Bangkok

Amazing hotel - we had a lot of fun here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

So central to everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bodhi Serene Hotel

Chiang Mai

Good location, needs some renovation in the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our Jungle Camp - Eco Resort

Tambon Klongsok, Ampur Panom, Suratthani

Staff were amazing and very helpful. Food was great, and I wish we got to stay longer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Spend a Day with Elephants in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient & Hidden Ayutthaya by Bike

Bangkok

Great for people wanting to learn about Thai history!

Canals of Bangkok & Temple Delight

Bangkok

Loved this to kick off our trip!

Take a Thai Cooking Class

Chiang Mai

Amazing to see that we could make thai dishes ourselves!

This was an excellent and amazing vacation!

Hard to single out one place. I learned a lot about a part of the world that I never really thought about. It was exciting to be in Buenos Aires when they won the soccer championship. We were there at the right time to share their joy. All places we visited were beautiful. The guides were excellent. I can only say that it opened up a whole world I was ignorant of. We have been to Europe several times. This trip gave me a new understanding of... read more

This was an excellent and amazing vacation!

Hard to single out one place. I learned a lot about a part of the world that I never really thought about. It was exciting to be in Buenos Aires when they won the soccer championship. We were there at the right time to share their joy. All places we visited were beautiful. The guides were excellent. I can only say that it opened up a whole world I was ignorant of. We have been to Europe several times. This trip gave me a new understanding of the world.

This is our first time using kimkim for our travel. We were a little hesitant to go with travel agencies but wanted try it out on this trip since we could not find any local specialists for our Thailand visit. Kimkim and our local specialist Dat came through and made this trip a memorable one. We enjoyed the trip and Dat was just a WhatsApp call away through our entire trip. We were able to reach him any time of the day and he was ready to help us right away. Thanks Dat for that. It made us... read more

This is our first time using kimkim for our travel. We were a little hesitant to go with travel agencies but wanted try it out on this trip since we could not find any local specialists for our Thailand visit. Kimkim and our local specialist Dat came through and made this trip a memorable one. We enjoyed the trip and Dat was just a WhatsApp call away through our entire trip. We were able to reach him any time of the day and he was ready to help us right away. Thanks Dat for that. It made us feel safe and secure while traveling without having to worry about where to go, who to meet and what our next destination would be.
We were in Bangkok for 2 days, Chiang Mai for 2 days and Koh Yao Yai for 3 days. The itinerary was just right. Not too full and not too empty. We all enjoyed the visit to the Doi Inthanon National park and the elephant sanctuary the most. The local guides in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were very knowledgeable and were able to guide us to all places and explain the history and provide context. If only we were able to secure our overnight train tickets to Chaing Mai from Bangkok, it would have been a perfect visit for us.
After Bangkok and Chiang Mai, our expectations were raised for the relaxing visit to Koh Yao Yai but was a little underwhelmed. We shared our thoughts on this to Dat and he immediately contacted the resort and did his best to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Thanks again for your prompt action on this Dat. Much appreciated.
Overall we enjoyed this trip to Thailand and we will be recommending Kimkim and Dat to our friends and families.
Some recommendations for future travelers to Thailand:
1. It would be good to have some input before the travel on what type of dress to pack. Especially if we are visiting temples, we need to get long pants for women.
2. Bangkok traffic is notorious. We felt that we spent a lot of time in traffic going to various places.
3. Flying between destinations takes away nearly half day in each airport visit. Overnight trains preferable where possible.

Hotel Reviews

Century Park Hotel

Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

White Boutique Hotel and Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Baan Taranya Resort, Koh Yao Yai

Authenticity & Character

Location

There were boats moored at the beaches. The beaches had low tide every single day of our visit making playing the beach for kids next to impossible.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Tour (join-in) - Doi Suthep Hill (N)

Chiang Mai

It's a family experience not to be missed. The elephants were super friendly and the staff were very knowledgeable and accommodative.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Ayutthaya (N)

Bangkok

The guide was very knowledgeable and patiently explained the history behind the palace, ruins and temple in Ayutthaya. The trip back to and from Bangkok was very long. We felt that we spent more time on the road than actually visiting places in Ayutthaya.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damnern Saduak Floating Market - City tour (N)

Bangkok

The long tail boat ride to this market was fun. The market itself was very vibrant and one of a kind.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Doi Inthanon Hill (N)

Chiang Mai

The hike in the national forest was a highlight of this trip. We all enjoyed it the most. The weather was also perfect. Visit to the waterfall and the temple was also very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an incredible family vacation in Columbia with our guides Alba (Medellin) and Santiago (Bogota). Felipe was incredibly helpful in arranging an itinerary and trip plan based on our specific needs. Memorable experiences in Medellin were a coffee farm tour, and visiting Guatape and climbing El Penol. In Bogota we loved the Salt Cathdral at Zipaquira and the Guatavita Lake tour, Gold Museum, Monserrate, and chocolate experience. The transporation and dining arrangements were seamless. I... read more

We had an incredible family vacation in Columbia with our guides Alba (Medellin) and Santiago (Bogota). Felipe was incredibly helpful in arranging an itinerary and trip plan based on our specific needs. Memorable experiences in Medellin were a coffee farm tour, and visiting Guatape and climbing El Penol. In Bogota we loved the Salt Cathdral at Zipaquira and the Guatavita Lake tour, Gold Museum, Monserrate, and chocolate experience. The transporation and dining arrangements were seamless. I highly recommend using this service if you don't have extensive knowledge about your destination -- it is money well spent.

Hotel Reviews

Medellin Marriott Hotel

Medellín

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Bogotá Teleport Royal

Bogotá DC

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral and Guatavita Lake Tour

Bogotá

Incredible experience. We learned a lot about the history and people of Colombia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The planning process with kimkim was very easy. I went with them to organize 5 days in the northern part of Morocco because they offered more flexibility in arranging the itinerary. Every other company I looked at had a trip to the desert as part of the tour, and we didn't want to do that. I never spoke to Yassine, but had two conversations with Louis and he was great. The first conversation was early on fine-tuning the schedule, and the second was when our flights were delayed leaving... read more

The planning process with kimkim was very easy. I went with them to organize 5 days in the northern part of Morocco because they offered more flexibility in arranging the itinerary. Every other company I looked at had a trip to the desert as part of the tour, and we didn't want to do that. I never spoke to Yassine, but had two conversations with Louis and he was great. The first conversation was early on fine-tuning the schedule, and the second was when our flights were delayed leaving the US. He told us not to worry and took care of sorting out the impact of our late arrival in Morocco. We ended up losing a day in Fes, but once we arrived everything went just as planned. Our driver Salim was very friendly, reliable, and competent. He told us a lot about Morocco as we drove from place to place. We felt like we were in good hands with him behind the wheel. We spent a day with Hassan as our tour guide in Fes. We started at a few sites outside the medina and then spent the rest of the time inside the medina. Along with seeing what was there, we combined it with a food tour. We sampled authentic food from stalls, all delicious. He did a great job showing us around.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

This was the least impressive of the riads we stayed in. It was fine, but not as beautiful inside as the others. The service was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I probably would not include Rabat again if I was to do this trip again.

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad & Spa Dar Bensouda

Fes

This riad was lovely. The courtyard spaces were beautiful and the roof terrace was very nice. Our room was lovely and made you feel like you were somewhere special. We had dinner at this riad one night and the food was good. Breakfast was the standard Moroccan fare and it was fine.

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully decorated.

Location

The medina is so confusing I don't know if we were in a good location or not, but I think it was.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly. Served mint tea and pastries on arrival.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Cherifa

Chefchaouen

This was the second property we stayed at on our trip. It was nice, but since the riad we stayed at before in Fes was so gorgeous it was a slight letdown. Still there was nothing wrong with it and if it had been the first place we had stayed I wouldn't have had a comparison. The food and service were both good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Well located to explore Chefchaouen

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fez

Fes

In my opinion, if you don't have a guide you will get hopelessly lost and not enjoy yourself. Our guide did a good job. When you are taken to see the ceramics being made, the tannery and the weavers outside the medina it is also a selling opportunity. We were not interested in buying pottery, leather goods our carpets and Hassan was happy to move us along. I don't know who takes a cut if you are to buy something and maybe most tourists really are interested.

Quality of Experience

Except for the selling stops, we learned and saw a lot.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hassan was very personable and easy to communicate with.

Transport

If you're considering a trip to Vietnam, choose Realistic Asia! We were so so pleased with them! This is the first time using KimKim, and we were a little bit concerned that they would create a mainstream trip plan for us, but WOW, it surpassed our expectations!!

Hien was responsive from the beginning stages of planning to the end of the trip, switching a thing or two in the itinerary as we wished, adjusting pick up times as our flight was delayed, and promptly replying to our inquiries.... read more

If you're considering a trip to Vietnam, choose Realistic Asia! We were so so pleased with them! This is the first time using KimKim, and we were a little bit concerned that they would create a mainstream trip plan for us, but WOW, it surpassed our expectations!!

Hien was responsive from the beginning stages of planning to the end of the trip, switching a thing or two in the itinerary as we wished, adjusting pick up times as our flight was delayed, and promptly replying to our inquiries. We are a family of four (parents and teenagers) wanting to focus on Vietnam's culture, (street) food, outdoors and farming traditions. We were impressed by the way she planned the attractions because they didn't feel repetitive, nor overwhelming. There was a good flow from one day to another. We went to Hanoi/outskirts, Halong Bay, Hoi An/outskirts and HCMC/Mekong.

Some of her local guide/operators were worth mentioning: Mr. Quang, in Hanoi had just the right balance of good humor, information and respect; Mrs. Ann in Hoi An was kind and a patient translator as I had many questions to the farmers at the Thanh Dong organic farm, and Nana, from Vietnam Vintage Vespa, who was gentle, fun and very personable, and provided the most memorable food tour through the alley's of HCMC (your teenagers will love this!)

The hotels all offered a wonderful breakfast spread in the morning. Del Vostro in Hanoi was our favorite, as far as quality and customer service, but I can't forget to mention that we really enjoyed the rooftop bar/sauna/amenities at the Cochin Zen, in HCMC.

I feel like this review could go on and on because this trip really crossed all the "ts" for us, but I'll list a few more highlights without giving too much away:

- Food tour with Mr. Quang in Hanoi, including a surprising need-to-know-basis home that serves as a family restaurant, where we ate at a table in someone's bedroom. We also enjoyed that he included a stop at the Vietnamese Women's Museum (yes!) in between restaurants and pagodas.
- A day trip to the Ba Vi eco village, where we visited small producers of all sorts of things. We rode bikes from one house to the next, entering their homes, seeing their crops and animals, learning about the work they do, then having a cooking class and being treated with a truly delicious lunch. Amazing!!
-Kayaking in Ha Long Bay - absolutely gorgeous!
-Hoi An Ancient City - we had no idea of how picturesque and lantern-enchanting this little gem of a city is. What a great surprise! Make sure you have space in your camera roll!
- The night Vespa food tour in HCMC (or Saigon, if you're in the South) - again, it really gave us a much better sense of the city as we moved from one district to the next quite easily.

Hotel Reviews

Dal Vostro Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

Beautiful boutique hotel in an older building. They did a good job creating charm from the entrance to the bedrooms. I confess I was hoping for more in terms of their spa area/massages but this didn't impact my rating. The cleaningness, style and functioning of the facility, the comfort of our bed (the best mattress,) the breakfast, the attention from the staff (concierge Tony was super and articulate) and the location all contributed to my rating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Renea Cruises Halong

Hon Gai, Ha Long

We had an enjoyable stay at the Renea cruise. The staff was attentive and the boat was comfortable enough. We were overjoyed by the surrounding Ha Long Bay and the amazing kayak trip/cave tour. The boat is a bit dated, but charming. The food was plenty but not the best and we found hair in it a couple of times. The guide was very sweet and eager, if not a bit too enthusiastic. It's taking a 3-star because it was decent, but a bit old.

Le Pavillon Hoi An Paradise Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Very good hotel, spacious, clean, offering an excellent breakfast spread, a (non-heated) pool, and courteous staff. The rooms are nicely decorated, but I'm not giving them 5 stars because our bedroom had a bit of a smell. We think it came from the (beautiful spa-like) bathroom because the set up didn't exactly drain the water very well. I mean, it was a gorgeous bathroom with sliding doors, perfect wall tiling, awesome looking bathtub but a shower without doors and the water splattered everywhere. They should probably consider making it a bit more functional.

Cochin Zen Hotel

A serene boutique hotel in the busy District 1 Saigon. The moment you come into the hotel, you feel comfortable and safe - the decor, the lighting, the service (they bring you a refreshing tea.) The breakfast is excellent. The bedrooms were clean and comfortable. I wasn't impressed by the bathroom, in particular the bathtub/shower. The tub was way too high to get in, and the shower would splash water on the floor. The water pressure is fabulous, but they should consider it when designing a half-enclosed shower because it'll splash on the floor and make a mess. This hotel offered a top floor bar on a deck with a small (non-heated) pool and a nice view. A great place to relax, have a drink or dinner. I used their steam room and my family used their small efficient gym. We liked it.

Activity Review

Ho Chi Minh City Vespa Food Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

This tour was simply the highlight of Saigon for us. If you have teenagers, they will love it. Nana started the tour by assuring that we were all safe, and the four drivers were not speeding. Given that traffic in Vietnam is quite intense and...crazy for western standards, I caught myself thinking that I was being the most irresponsible and the coolest mom at the same time! Nana made us feel extremely comfortable. She is so enthusiastic and personable. "Let me tell you about my city," she started by sharing a bit of history of HCMC and about her family past generations, that was a nice touch. She created a real authentic food tour through streets and alleys of Saigon, as she likes to call it. "This is how locals eat." She took us to have some traditional food, seafood, dessert, and to have a drink at a pub and watch some live music. That was so unexpected! Oh, look forward to "happy water" in your tour! Overall excellent service. This was A++ to my kids. I felt like I was in the original Blade Runner movie, totally immersed in various streets and alleys of Saigon.

Quality of Experience

Personality, enthusiasm, eagerness to help and make us feel comfortable. She took many pictures of our family so we didn't have to spend time taking photos, but hanging out instead.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Competent drivers, courteous, excellent service.

Transport

Brand new vespas! They did a whole tutorial of how to mount/dismount the Vespas.

We had a fantastic trip to Vietnam and really appreciated all the assistance provided by Ashley! She was very accommodating and patient as we requested a few modifications to our itinerary as we became more educated on the options.

She was extremely responsive and informative, and I would highly recommend both Ashley and Kimkim! read more

We had a fantastic trip to Vietnam and really appreciated all the assistance provided by Ashley! She was very accommodating and patient as we requested a few modifications to our itinerary as we became more educated on the options.

She was extremely responsive and informative, and I would highly recommend both Ashley and Kimkim!

Our Guayaquil guide, Corina and our driver, were amazing in their historical knowledge of the city and country, flexibility in the moment based on our interests, and steadfast in ensuring our safety. We had an amazing time looking at all of the effigies across the city in preparation for Ano Viejo. Our walk up the 444 steps to Diego Noboa y Arteta was finished w a lovely and delicious lunch. The rest of the week in the Galapagos was equally fun and interesting. Viviana, our guide, met us in... read more

Our Guayaquil guide, Corina and our driver, were amazing in their historical knowledge of the city and country, flexibility in the moment based on our interests, and steadfast in ensuring our safety. We had an amazing time looking at all of the effigies across the city in preparation for Ano Viejo. Our walk up the 444 steps to Diego Noboa y Arteta was finished w a lovely and delicious lunch. The rest of the week in the Galapagos was equally fun and interesting. Viviana, our guide, met us in Balstra and escorted us to Santa Cruze, all the while explaining the history of the islands, the economy, the differences between the mainland and islands, and of course introduced us to many amazing animals and sites from land iguanas to gigantic tortoises in their natural habitat. Seeing the evolution of various tortoises who come from other islands where they have different vegetation was spectacular. Thank you to the whole team for a truly eye-opening trip!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Oro Verde Guayaquil

Guayaquil

This is a lovely, modern, clean hotel with all of the amenities, including almond milk for those dairy-free concerned. There are different restaurants and a cafe to choose from. We actually switched hotels to stay here because it was so nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of Guayaquil

Staff

All went above and beyond to welcome us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exe Galería Man-Ging

Guayaquil

Very basic, but clean if you need somewhere to stay and you arrive late at night and don’t want to pay for amenities that you won’t use. The artwork in the halls is a bit overwhelming though and it’s a bit dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sir Francis Drake

Puerto Ayora

This was an unfortunate experience. The hotel appeared dirty and not well maintained so as soon as we checked in, we asked our guides to transfer us somewhere else.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hostal Tintorera

Isabela

This was a clean and family friendly hotel, but very basic. Appears to cater to the Ecuadorian mainland guests because nobody spoke English. But it was absolutely clean! And they were friendly so if you are ok w bare bones, it is just fine and very authentic.

Authenticity & Character

Breakfast was cooked and served right in front of you on the outdoor stove.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guayaquil City Tour - Free afternoon

Guayaquil

The tour of the effigies was amazing. Corina’s knowledge about the history of the city and country and the economics of both, was really helpful. We loved the whole tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Galapagos: Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Galapagos Islands

Viviana was amazing! The tortoises, the Charles Darwin center, it all was terrific.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to Isabela Island & Wildlife on Las Tintoreras Islet

Galapagos Islands

The speedboat was fine though it would have been a little nicer on a larger boat where we could have walked around or had lunch. The guide and tour of Las Tintoreras was fine though I think it would have been better as a private tour instead of a large group. Also, the guide was very nice but didn’t appear to understand English very well as she couldn’t answer questions as much as tell us information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Los Tuneles

Galapagos Islands

This might have been better if we had not been snorkeling the day before and it wasn’t the 7th boat ride we had taken.

Quality of Experience

Food

They made me a GF lunch which was amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island

Puerto Ayora

Our guide Julio was terrific!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had an amazing experience travelling to Nicaragua with Kimkim. I was a bit skeptical at first because I have never travelled with this agency before but they really surpassed my expectations. Reyna worked closely with me to accommodate my needs and always made sure everything is okay and if anything else is needed. There was active communication at all times. We stayed one week in Nicaragua and it was the perfect escape for whomever enjoys being in nature, surrounded by great people and... read more

I had an amazing experience travelling to Nicaragua with Kimkim. I was a bit skeptical at first because I have never travelled with this agency before but they really surpassed my expectations. Reyna worked closely with me to accommodate my needs and always made sure everything is okay and if anything else is needed. There was active communication at all times. We stayed one week in Nicaragua and it was the perfect escape for whomever enjoys being in nature, surrounded by great people and eating delicious food. Every guide we had the pleasure to be with picked us up on time, was extremely helpful with any questions we might have had and you could tell they loved doing what they do.

In the future I would definitely book another trip with kimkim and was overall very impressed.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Patio del Malinche

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

always attentive and very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Caite San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Charco verde

Rivas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Marimba

Apoyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Las Isletas Kayak adventure

Granada

Quality of Experience

Food

we did not have any food so I would rate it neutral

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mombacho Volcano - Crater Trail

Granada

Quality of Experience

Food

no food that is why I rate it neutral

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Juan del Sur - Sunset Boat Journey

San Juan del Sur

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking the Maderas Volcano

ometepe

We are not experienced hikers but we were able to succeed. It was not easy but the views were incredible. We were told this was a beginner's hike and it definitely wasn't. We also were not well prepared with the attire but overall it was a whole new experience for me and I am glad I was able to finish the whole hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at leisure

Apoyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Masaya Volcano - Lava Rock Night Tour from Apoyo Lagoon

Apoyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim helped us plan a fun-filled family vacation in Costa Rica at the last minute! We went on beautiful nature hikes, saw sloths, monkeys and other animals and got to try new things like white-water rafting. We had a fantastic time the entire trip and made so many great memories. read more

KimKim helped us plan a fun-filled family vacation in Costa Rica at the last minute! We went on beautiful nature hikes, saw sloths, monkeys and other animals and got to try new things like white-water rafting. We had a fantastic time the entire trip and made so many great memories.

Our trip was well-organized. We had some travel snafus and but we were able to stay in contact with someone on the team so our trip could continue smoothly. The tours we were booked on were fantastic and ran smoothly. The guides were great. All around great experience .

The trip plan David developed for us involved travelling through three diferent parts of the country, Tayrona National Park, the Guajira and the Orinoco, and gave us an idea of Colombia's amazing cultural diversity and natural beauty, just as we had hoped. We have both fallen in love with the country and are very much wanting to go back. It's difficult to say what were the highlights of the trip, as the thing we appreciated most was the possibility to travel, stay and eat with local people,... read more

The trip plan David developed for us involved travelling through three diferent parts of the country, Tayrona National Park, the Guajira and the Orinoco, and gave us an idea of Colombia's amazing cultural diversity and natural beauty, just as we had hoped. We have both fallen in love with the country and are very much wanting to go back. It's difficult to say what were the highlights of the trip, as the thing we appreciated most was the possibility to travel, stay and eat with local people, and getting an insight, even if only for a few days, into their way of life. Tayrona was the most familiar in feel as we have travelled in rainforests and stayed in eco-lodges before so it was a good place to begin. You feel as if you are in the clouds slightly above the treeline, and we counted a dozen different bird species just from our bedroom window. We could have gone into the nature reserve nearby but instead walked by ourselves along the road to the coast to orient ouselves. The reward was a blissful view of the Caribbean at Los Cocos in unspoiled natural glory - the forst reaching into the sand, a couple of local families playing football, a dog running freely in the sunset. At Los Naranjos nearby there is a botanical garden with the most beautiful trees.

The food and cocktails at Tayrona kept up the holiday feel but nothing could have prepared us for what happened next, which was when the real adventure began. We were driven to Riohacha which has an amazing frontier city feel - which is indeed the case, as after this comes the desert. Before dawn the next day we were picked up from the hotel by Paola, the leader of the local company who took care of us for the next few days, by Leiner, our guide, and by Oder, the driver, who himself is Wayuu. We could not have felt more welcome and also in safer hands. This is important as it has to be stressed that this is not country in which you can casually venture on your own. It is a place where it is necessary to respect the local people who live here. It is also difficult country, beautiful but inhospitable, and it needs intimate knowledge to get around. Oder the driver was also vital as it is very rough territory for even a 4-wheel drive. He was brilliant, keeping us steady whatever the ground, and taking time so we never felt remotely in danger. Leiner was a terrific guide: knowlegeable, friendly, fluent in English and possessing fantastic people skills. We enjoyed stunning views of windswept landscapes with sparse vegetation but amazing birdlife including Red Cardinals, eagles, vultures and hawks. The sea is everywhere. Attending a local sea turtle conservation project and learning about the way solar technology is used to produce drinking water in this parched land was an inspiring example of grassroot -level community renewal: small scale, local and democratic.
After a quick stopover in Bogota we prepared for a flight to Puerto Carreno, and transferred to 4x4 to reach the Orinoco river. The first sight of the river (the second biggest in the world) was truly unforgettable. Under the guidance of Rosevelt our extremely practical and competent guide, and two lovely travel companions, we spend the next few days travelling down the Orinoco by boat, staying at Tuparro biosphere reserve, Sarrapia, and El Remanso in the Mavecure. There is something unusually lovely about the Orinoco river: the abundance of flora and fauna, the geology with its striking rock formations, and the rapids described by Alexander von Humboldt as the eighth wonder of the world. But the most important thing for us was understanding the river as the lifeblood of so many different communities; connecting different places, providing water and food, as well as identity and belonging. While we felt our lack of Spanish imposed limitations on the way we interacted with people we nevertheless learned so much about the ways in which indigenous communities in the region are connecting traditional ecological knowledge to solutions to the contemporary environmental crisis while protecting their cultural heritage. And, as we discovered while watching the World Cup finals in El Remanso, the language of football really is universal. While tourism can be a highly ambiguous phenomenon (something of which people locally are very much aware), you feel that communities here are managing to get the balance right, and have created infrastructure that allows people to see the astonishing natural abundance of the region, and learn about its cultural diversity, without doing damages or changing its character. Let's hope it stays this way.

Hotel Review

Quetzal Dorado Ecolodge

Zaino

What a lovely spot! The view from the central terrace opens out over the valley, the river and the mountains in the distance and is almost impossibly beautiful. We particularly appreciated the emphasis on sustainability. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere relaxed. Special compliments to the kitchen staff for the very tasty food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Streams and mountains in Tuparro National Park

Puerto Carreño

In terms of sheer natural beauty, this is one of the most astonishing places we have ever visited, with every changing vistas and a final view of the Orinoco rapids. Edgar, the guide who took us op the mountain was incredibly friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the area and its flora and fauna.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip to Cabo de La Vela & Punta Gallinas 3 days - 2 nights

Colombia

This was an astonishing and beautiful experience, made possible by Leiner our amazing guide and Oder who drove us so safely. At the heart of it is an encounter with the Waiyuu people. The natural landscapes are incredible, topped only by seeing the turtle project explained at the Punta Gallinas community centre. We watched pelicans at sunset but we most enjoyed learning from our guides.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I would put ten stars here if possible.

Transport

Hiking to Cerros de Mavecure

Inírida

The Mavecure may be the most beautiful place we have ever seen. The hike is incredible we are told but forgive us as we chose instead to watch the world cup final with the local community. This was unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Food

River fish.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rosevelt is just so capable. He looks after you without saying a thing.

Transport

The boats. Never travel by car ever again.