Kimkim Trip Reviews for Australia

Australia is a wide country and we had the perfect itineary charted out thanks to Paula from kimkim. We are from India and the response time was seamless and she really helped us narrow in on best experiences that will suit our family. I will highly recommend kimkim tours for a perfect holiday!

The whole trip was exceptional from the beginning to end!
Paula really took the time to understand how we wanted to spend our two weeks in Australia and she nailed it.
We started in Melbourne and had a fantastic guide (Bronson) who took us down the Great Ocean Road. He provided a lot of historical information and was super fun and easy going too!
We then went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary the next day which was equally wonderful. We saw so many amazing animals and the guide, Steffi was extremely knowledgeable and kind. I will post some of the amazing pics!
We then headed to Uluru which was my favorite part of the whole trip. I could not get enough of the endless gorgeous night sky with the stars that went on forever. I will post those pics too.
The Field of Lights was well worth it so I highly recommend doing that. The tour the next morning was phenomenal. I was in Uluru for my birthday and I couldn’t have asked for a better memory. You have to take the time to visit this special place in the Outback.
The next day we were off to Cairns. This was another incredibly beautiful destination where we were able to enjoy a great amount of time in the water. Paula set us up to go snorkeling and diving for the day and it was a lot of fun. Make sure you pack some motion, sickness meds because the water is pretty rough. The day after the great barrier reef, we went to the Daintree rainforest, which was also pretty spectacular. We took a tour and our guide was a sweet older man by the name of Daniel and it was a very long day. There was a lot of sleeping on the van and the day was rainy so it wasn’t my favorite of the trip after we headed to Sydney, which was my second favorite destination. In Sydney, we did a wine tour one day where we hit three different wineries, which were wonderful and then the next day we did a blue Mountain tour, which was pretty spectacular. Our guide for the Blue Mountain tour was named Matthew and he was exceptional. He knew the history so well and was able to convey so much information in that short period of time . I highly recommend the Blue Mountain tour when in Sydney. The next favorite part of the trip for me was the Sydney Harbor cruise. We had no idea what to expect and it truly exceeded our expectations. The views were absolutely stunning and the restaurant we went to for dinner was incredible. The boat crew was wonderful and we were served champagne and wine and hors d’oeuvres. That were truly spectacular, the views of the opera house and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were absolutely breathtaking especially at night with all the lovely lights. It is a must do activity in Sydney. The restaurants in Sydney were also quite extraordinary. We had some of the best food that we’ve ever had in the world in Sydney. we went to an Italian restaurant named Alfredo’s and had one of the best Italian meals of our lives and we had gone to Italy two years ago and had pretty spectacular food there. The other restaurant that we really enjoyed was Mu Mu 4 You. This was a combination of Malaysian Singaporean in Indonesian St., Food and simply delicious. And then on our last night, we went to a restaurant called Boop and Tone, which was also spectacular.
We could not have had a better trip and are so grateful to Paula and Kim Kim for making all the arrangements.

We had an amazing and magical vacation to Australia. Since it was our first time visiting, we really wanted to optimize our time there. Paula was so helpful and made our trip so amazing. Some highlights included the Great Ocean Road trip out of Melbourne where our guide Bronson was so fun and engaging. Loved visiting the Healsville sanctuary where we were able to feed the loveliest kangaroo named Flo- our guide Stephie was so passionate about the animals. Cairns was such a fun beach town and we had an amazing time snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t skip Uluru at sunrise and sunset- the Field of Lights were amazing and we were able to see the most gorgeous night sky. Sydney has some of the best food and night life. We loved taking the ferry to Manly Beach. The private dinner cruise around the Sydney Harbour may have been my favorite experience.

When you go on a trip to a faraway place it is great to be able to have someone working close to the locale to put together various tours, tickets, lodging, transportation options and a well thought out agenda that meets your needs. Even more important, especially when there are so many different vendors and moving pieces, is that when something goes wrong - and inevitably something *will* go wrong - there is someone who is quick, responsive, kind, caring and capable to manage things and smooth out those bumps. This was very much the case working with Vicky on our Australia trip. We were traveling with a diverse group of 4 people: myself, my wife, our 28yo son who is on the autistic spectrum and my 85yo mother who is 85yo! We were travelling to Oz for our niece's wedding and wanted to work up a tour of major attractions on the East Coast around that given that once you're there, you had best stick around and check out the wonders of the place. Vicky worked with us to build up a trip plan with sufficient activity for our son, sufficient rest days for my mother and sufficient highlights for us all to remember. She connected us with private and small group tours all with excellent guides and she set up comfortable accommodations throughout. She was also mindful of our budgetary limitations and worked with us once we arrived to tweak, adjust and troubleshoot as necessary. The bumps were few but when they happened, they were quickly resolved, and the entire trip has provided a lifetime of memories for us all. I found kimkim/vio through an internet search and Vicky through random assignment, but I do feel like I won the lottery on the whole experience.

We had a fantastic summer vacation to Aus - covering Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne.

Paula from Kim Kim was exceptional in helping our family chart out an iterenery and gave us suggestions and inputs to mix it up for the whole family as it was our first trip to Australia and we did not want to miss anything big in these cities.

Our hotels, local guides for all our daily trips were super nice and well experienced about the places and local details to make each day memorable for us. I would highly recomend Paula and Kim Kim for anyone to plan your next holiday and i am sure we will go back to them whenever we can.

Deepak

Hotel Reviews

Vibe Hotel Sydney

Sydney

Centrally located in Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the Sydney Harbour and centrally located in the CBD area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bay Village Tropical Retreat & Apartments

Cairns, QLD

Centrally located, Clean, friendly staff. However a bit outdated in terms of modern amenities - like good Wifi / Power outlets in the room. No elevator in the property to move heavy luggage.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

Centrally located in CBD area of Melbourne. Cross to the tram lines. Very close to the South Cross Railway station as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Must do if your in Sydney first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

A quick way to experience the Sydney Opera house, Downtown Buildings, Harbour Bridge for some awesome photos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Must do activity in Sydney if your on your first trip and have a few hours. The views of the city were amazing. The briefing and start of activity takes some time but later you realise that for the safety of everyone it was needed. You can pick the day time or night time climb depending on weather and how you want to see the views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

This was a laid back trip to view the Blue Mountain and the amazing views with some small walks / hikes that you can do. Not a packed agenda .

Quality of Experience

Food

The Lunch at Boiler House was a very good meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Day Trip

Australia

Super day trip to either Snorkel or go Diving to experience the GBR. Worth the day for the amazing views.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff on the boat were extremely good, equipment was top notch.

Transport

Daintree Rainforest Full Day Adventure by 4WD

Australia

A good day trip to experience the Tropical forrests of Cairns. Walks, views and some sighting of the birds and crocs in the area was a nice touch. The trip was a easy day trip for those to like nature.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip

Melbourne

Amazing drive on the Ocean Road. Quant small towns to stop for views and food made up for a good day spent outdoors.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Guide Fred from Oceana Tours was outstanding and made the long drive so much fun by sharing his own experiences and wit.

Transport

Private Dandenong Ranges & Steam Train Trip

Melbourne

Was a fun trip for kids. The Puffing train ride had good views and worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm not usually the “book through a tour” type but this was my first time traveling to the other side of the world and I didn’t want to leave things to my planning chances. It was a gamble and I am so glad I took it! From the initial planning phases everything was a breeze. Vicky mapped everything out according to our budget and preferences and tweaked everything we wanted to fully customize the trip to our desire. She was fully available during the trip providing updates on your changes and even making changes we requested during the trip.

Our tours were all exceptional and we experienced so much more by utilizing this service than I could’ve dreamed of planning myself! Each tour guide was unique and offered so much information and knowledge on the different days. We were the lone hikers in Sydney which was a nice break and allowed us to take in the scenes quietly. Queenstown was breathtaking and the LOTR tour was actually a way more fun experience than expected (and was a good mix of film stuff and non film stuff for those of us who aren’t die hards). Who knew I’d like NZ wines so much too? Cairns was a different vibe and completely different climate but it was nice to be tropical! And I’m so glad I worked with Vicky on the ordering of that piece of the tour for that reason!

I only wish I could’ve stayed another week to see even more. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you Vicky & the Kimkim team.

Hotel Review

Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort

Cairns

The Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort was fine but not my favorite. The hotel felt a bit rundown, possibly because we had just come from a really nice place in New Zealand. However, the bed was comfortable, the staff was great, and the breakfast was wonderful. The comparison with our previous hotel might have affected my impression, but overall, it was an okay stay.

Activity Reviews

Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour from Cairns

Cairns

The reef excursion was incredible! We first took a boat ride for about an hour and a half to our snorkeling site. We had two hours to explore the first reef, followed by lunch, and then another two hours at a different location. The snorkeling was fantastic; we saw a variety of fish and coral, including clownfish, which reminded me of Finding Nemo. The instructors were helpful and pointed out interesting marine life. It was a memorable and breathtaking experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lord of Rings Full-Day Tour around Queenstown Lakes by 4WD

Queenstown (NZ)

The Lord of the Rings tour was a highlight, even though we aren't huge fans of the movies. The morning was just my husband and me with the driver, focusing more on sightseeing than just the film locations. It was great to see the beautiful scenery. In the afternoon, we joined others for some exciting off-roading, driving through rivers and off the beaten path. It was a fascinating experience and enjoyable even for those who aren't die-hard fans of the series.

During the trip we had to making some changes and Vicky was readily available and putting the effort forth that created an amazing experience with little hiccups. She was extremely attentive to changes, and ensured that we were abelk to complete everything we wanted to do at all the different locations we went to thorughout the tirp. There was maintenance on one of the items that caused her to have to reorganize our trip pretty last minute. She did amazing handling these changes!

She managed to fit everything we wanted to do and add suggestions for us in a 12 day trip to Australia which was already amazing and allowed us to enjoy our trip stress free!

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

Off the beaten path, really good for someone seeking a quiet vacation full of poolside relaxing. The hotel was amazing, the room was bueatiful and guest service was amazing. However the breakfast was the same everyday, and for us it was a bit to far off the path.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rhapsody Resort

Surfers Paradise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Premium Guided Dive Trip - Outer Great Barrier Reef

Port Douglas

The dive instructor only handles small dive groups of around 4 people max, it ended up being just myself and partner on our introductory dive. It was phenomnial and everyone was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vicky was amazing before and during the trip. I have worked with many travel agents in the past, but she was by far the most responsive and attentive agent I have used. All of our questions were answered quickly and comprehensively, which led to a very relaxing trip very far from home. We both felt very safe and secure knowing that if anything went wrong, vicky would have been there to help immediately. I have recommended her to a few of my friends and family because she was amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

We had a very nice room that had a private pool. Food was difficult to come by at the resort and transfers are needed to and from port douglas since it is too far to walk (~3 miles). Staff was great, spa was relaxing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Emporium Hotel South Bank

South Brisbane

Super luxurious hotel close to brisbanes central business district. Very beautiful area to walk around with a lot of good diverse food options. The spa was AMAZING, and definitely better after a long plane ride. 10 times out of 10 I would stay in this hotel right when I land in australia. The rooftop restaurant was good, but a little expensive for the portions they give you. Drinks are their bread and butter there, made very strong.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rhapsody Resort

Surfers Paradise

Very good location in relation to the boardwalk. We spent a lot of time riding the electric bikes and there was a station right outside the hotel so we could ride up and down the boardwalk easy. A fair amount of construction around the building, which should clear up eventually. The sheets were alright, could be a little more comfortable, but the view was amazing. Theres a convenience store connected to the hotel at ground level which had lots of options for food we liked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Brisbane River Cruise

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Croc Express to Australia Zoo

Gold Coast

Loved the australia zoo, ride there was a little bit long though. About 3 hours there and back from the gold coast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Barrier Reef Sailing and Snorkeling Cruise from Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Premium Guided Dive Trip - Outer Great Barrier Reef

Port Douglas

Absolutely breathtaking. Our guide was super attentive and made sure myself and my fiancé understood the trip and how to dive. It was her first time diving and she ended up loving it. The guide was awesome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I would absolutely recommend to friends kimkim to help plan their trips. Paula was an amazing resource and helped us tremendously in navigating all of the areas we wanted to see while in Australia. Her planning helped us be stress free and helped make this a great experience for us. All aspects of the itinerary worked as planned (car services; tours; hotel check ins; etc). Highly recommend using Kimkim when you are trying to plan a trip for 3 weeks in a place you have never been.

Local specialist: Paula was excellent. She researched and provided us with all our requests for the perfect Australian vacation. I was especially impressed with all the transfers that were organized. Not one driver was late and they were very professional. The assistance she provided with reserving our flights while in Australia was also awesome. Paula even answered some of our questions during our trip which was super helpful.

Trip highlights:
The Great Ocean Road tour was fantastic. Our guide was Bronson and he was well versed on the local history, culture, wildlife, etc.

The LimoCentral driver that took us to Yarra Valley was great. He was very flexible as we asked him to make an extra stop at a winery.

Uluru A Night at Field of Light was fantastic!!!! So amazing to wander through the outback amongst the art display.
I wished I had more time to hike around Ayers Rock.

Cairns- The Reef Magic was really neat and one/two dives was excellent. The currents were really strong for the second dive and almost every person in our party got sick during the trip. Should recommend to use a scopolamine patch or meclizine for motion sickness prevention.

The Daintree River Cruise was so interesting. Learning about crocodiles in the wild was so unreal.

The Blue Mountain Tour was great and led my Matt. He was so well informed and all his knowledge really added to the experience. Sadly, it was foggy that day, but Matt made the time enjoyable.

The best experience we had was the Sydney Harbor Cruise. What an amazing way to close out two weeks (despite it raining all the days we were in Sydney).

Considerations for others using Kimkim:
Make sure you give specifics to the trip planner. They cannot read your mind and ask questions once tours get scheduled. One example of something that would have been nice would have been to have more private tours just with our group. We did not think to ask for that and planner would not have known.

Laundry- would have been nice to know that we would have laundry facilities at most of our accommodations. I would have packed less clothes. We had laundry facilities at 3 or 4 accommodations. I am not complaining because it was a pleasant surprise to see the laundry facilities.

Overall, the Kimkim experience was excellent and I look forward to using Kimkim on future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

Was centrally located and we had a fantastic view from our room of the river. They have an amazing fire show every night that was cool to watch from our balcony. Our room had a washer/dryer. We had 3 people, and the laundry was not available in the rooms for 2 guests. We arrived very early and the front desk was helpful in keeping our bags and taking them to our rooms when we arrived once the room was ready.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near good restaurants and a good view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Garden Hotel

Uluru

They have free laundry facilities which was helpful. walking distance to a grocery store and easy to get around the are from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had ants in our bed and the staff quickly changed us to another room.

Mantra Esplanade

Cairns

Location was perfect and walking distance to anything we needed. The staff was nice and let us know to become a member of the hotel chain and we would receive a complementary breakfast. The day we left our flight our ride was at noon and checkout was at 10AM. We were not able to have a late checkout because it was Labor Day,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney

Sydney

This was a very nice hotel. The rooms were impeccable. They had showers and a separate bathe which was nice. The wifi was did not reach our room which was one complaint we had. We also had a bad experience at the Brooksy. The manager on site ran after us because he thought we walked our bill. This was not the case. He realized his error but it was very off putting. The bar tender at the Silo made up for him.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip

Melbourne

Bronson was a great tour guide. The lunch at Apollo Bay was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Would have been nice if they could have picked us up at our hotel

Private VIP Healsville Sanctuary Tour

Melbourne

Steph was a fantastic guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

A must do experience in Uluru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Outer Reef + 2 Certified Dives (all equipment included)

Australia

The Reef Magic was super neat. Had many different activities at one area. The marine biologists also gave talks which was super interesting. Also enjoyed the didgeridoo performance and experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Matt was great. Enjoyed driving around to all the sights. The lunch was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first time using a travel agent. It was definitely worth it! Gary helped us identify the best cities to visit, mapped out the right amount of time to spend in each place, gave us ideas for activities, and booked it all. There were a few times where our tours canceled ahead of time, but Gary found alternatives and reorganized our itinerary so we could still see what we came for.

It was especially nice having all of our airport and tour transfers organized for us. We just had to show up at the right place and time and everything else was taken care of. We didn't have any last minute tour cancelations or hiccups, so we didn't need to contact Gary while on our trip. However, it was nice to have his contact information if something did come up!

Activity Reviews

The Taste of Sydney

Sydney

We really liked our tour guide and the variety of food. However, this tour turned into being more of an alcohol tour than a food tour. It was still a good time, but not what we were expecting!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef

Australia

This was our favorite trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The boat was very nice and wasn't a huge boat with tons of people. The staff was very kind. We loved our dive master for our certified scuba dives. There was also an optional session about the underwater wildlife during the boat ride back and that was a pleasant surprise!

Pick up your rental car at the Airport

Australia

The instructions for finding our rental car were a little confusing. However, we figured out after asking around.

Blue Mountains Deluxe Day Tour Experience

Sydney

We loved our tour guide for this trip! We also decided to switch from the restaurant lunch to the hiking option (with a packed lunch). It was a beautiful day and we didn't want to miss an opportunity to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Whitehaven Beach Big Island Day Tour

Airlie Beach

We got unlucky with a rainy day that never let up. It was cold and wet so we didn't get to enjoy the beach. The day trip would have been 5 stars had the weather been better.

One Day Daintree, Cape Tribulation & Bloomfield Tour

Australia

We probably could have skipped this tour given we had already seen the rainforest on other day trips. It was cool to say we saw the Daintree Rainforest, but it was quite similar to other experiences we had earlier on our trip. If this was the only rainforest visit we had, it would have been 4 stars.

Full Day Great Barrier Reef Adventure

Australia

The docked pontoon was an interesting experience, but the trip felt very commercialized. The boat staff was trying to sell everyone on buying upgrades, accessories, photos, etc. The boat was really big and had a ton of people on it. The scuba diving was rushed. It felt like they were trying to churn through dives to make the most money. We still loved seeing the Great Barrier Reef, but the tour service wasn't as good as our other experience.

Drop Off Your Rental Car at the Airport

Australia

Super easy and quick. No issues!

Classic Kuranda Tour

Australia

Barron Falls was one of our favorite parts of our whole trip! Definitely worth visiting. The SkyRail and train were great experiences. We could have gone without visiting the town of Kuranda and the Rainforestation. We had seen a lot of Australia's wildlife on a previous tour, so there wasn't much more to see a Rainforestation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

BridgeClimb Summit - Twilight

Australia

I was expecting the bridge climb to be more physically strenuous and scary, but it was actually pretty easy. I loved that we went for sunset!

Had a fantastic trip to New Zealand, with nice accommodations and great itinerary. Paula did listen well, worked with our budget, and came up with a really enjoyable trip. We were well taken care of and would certainly love to work with her again on our next trip.

Had a GREAT time on our trip. Thanks to Gary Topic for putting together a GREAT trip for us to Australia! We had a great itinerary, our hotel locations were always close to where our activities were, our activities were almost always spot on! Gary also guided me several times when I messed up and didn't follow the itinerary and had questions!Job well done!
Our five week trip inclued Port Douglas (scuba diving on the great barrier reef, Daintree, Karunda), Cairns, Whitsundays, Eungella (Glass Mountains, fruit bats, duck billed platypus), Fraser Island, Australia Zoo, Brisbane, Byron Bay, cave diving at Fish Rock Cave, Coffs Harbor, Port Macquarie, Tasmania (Cradle Mt, Bay of Fires), Sydney (opera house, climb the Harbor Bridge, Coogee and Bundi beaches, Blue Mountains tour), Canberra, and Melborne (Phillip Island penguin tour, Great Ocean Road tour). Thanks again - great trip!

KimKim offers us great ideas and even helped us out in the middle of our trip. They kept an eye on us the entire time. and addressed any concerns we had. KimKim works with some great and knowledgeable vendors to help make the best of our experiences and excursions.

Not enough can be said about Liz, our travel planner. At the very beginning of planning, we had been in touch with a few other travel companies. After talking with Liz a couple of times, there was no other companies involved. We could tell she IS the expert we were going to use. She took her time, because we had never been to Australia before and wanted a good "taste" of what Australia has to offer. Australia has a lot to offer, and Liz helped us narrow down where and what we could do in 16 days.
During our travels, if we had a question, she was there to answer it or find out what could be done to correct it. Most travel agents wouldn't be there throughout a vacation to make sure we were having the experience we expected. Liz was always quick to follow up with us. We appreciate all she did throughout the entire process of planning and then executing.
Need a travel company? Use KimKim.
Neen a travel specialist? Liz is the right person and expert.

Thank you, Gordon Cable
April 3-20, 2024. Australia Trip. Sydney, Ayers Rock, and Port Douglas areas.

Hotel Reviews

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location, just off Darling Harbour. Wonderful staff. Not too far from the Opera House and The Rocks.

Staff

Extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel

Port Douglas

Located just across from the beach and a short walk to the city center. Nice pool and good breakfast. Just wish the bar area was open later.

Authenticity & Character

Very nice staff and pool area.

Location

Located across from 4 Mile Beach and walking distance into the city center.

Staff

Good, caring people.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Always short on towels. Bar closed after lunch. Bed was comfortable and had a kitchen area, which was nice to have,

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

We were only there for an overnight stay. Nice facility and friendly staff. The Room were very nice and clean. Has a pool, but we didn't have time to use it. Others in the pool were enjoying it.

Authenticity & Character

The place had an Aboriginals feel to it.

Location

Close to Ayers rock

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, Updated and had all the amenities we needed.

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Sightseeing Bus Trip

Sydney

Driver was friendly and knew the areas we went past or stopped at. a good taste of Sydney and provided ideas ot things to do or place to go.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was wonderful. Wish I could remember his name. Sorry...

Transport

Comfortable bus. Loved to small group.

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

We had a beautiful clear night to see all of the stars. The sky just lit up. The bugs in April are quite annoying until the sun goes down. Buy a head netting to keep them off of your face. Once the sun goes down, they all disappear. Beautiful vies of Ayers Rock

Quality of Experience

The lights are spectacular. We had never seen anything like that before. The food was really good with a nice variety. Very enjoyable evening. The rest rooms need something!!

Food

good variety for everyone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the gentleman who gave pointed out the stars and constellations was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. The dinner staff was great,

Transport

Just a short drive from the hotels

Sunrise Camel Ride

Australia

What a great time riding the camels. We had the early morning ride, watching the sunrise and seeing Ayers Rock. We beat the bugs for most of the trip. Again, We suggest netting to cover your head.

Quality of Experience

We had more fun than expected. We had no idea what to expect. Just to ride a camel? Who doesn't want to do that!

Food

Just a Good cup of coffee and bread when you're finished with the ride. Enough for us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides were very helpful and easy to talk with. Funny stories along the way. You have to do this if you're out there.

Transport

Easy pick up at the hotel and short ride to the camels

Welcome to Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Had our share of rain, but that's nature. Nice area. Couldn't figure out what restaurants were going to be open because they would be open one day and closed the next. Beautiful drive from the Cairnes airport to Port Douglas along the water.

Transport

We secured our own transportation from the airport.

Hartley's Crocodile Farm with Koala Breakfast

Port Douglas

So much to do. A lot of Crocs. Eating and getting up-close with the Koala bear was interesting. Many different animals and reptiles to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Drivers were on time and very friendly.

Transport

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Day Trip

Port Douglas

Had to cancel, dues to the weather. This was a bucket list for us. Was not the company's fault. Blame nature. I hate to give it a rating, but the system would let me move forward with the reviews.

Full-Day Kuranda Rail & Skyrail - Gold Class

Australia

Due to weather, the rail was cancelled. The sky rail was great and the views were spectacular. The waterfall was roaring, due to all the rain that had come down the previous days.

Quality of Experience

4 stars only due to the rail not running.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Mountains Day Trip with Hike

Sydney

It's called Blue Mountains for a reason. The beautiful blue tones the area gives off.

Quality of Experience

The hike is beautiful, but not for out of shape people. The trails need to be marked better and the maps updated to show ALL paths and roads.

Food

had a sandwich. Could have used a couple of napkins.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Chris was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to talk with. Use a small group tour if you go.

Transport

This was our first experience with Kikmim, following directly on their Exploring 6-days Australia tour. My husband and I are delighted to give Vicky at Kimkim an "excellent" rating on this tour. From initial contact, to booking, to superb coordination by the tour organizers, the excellent knowledge and wonderful humor of our guides, and the selection of tour sites, the trip was organized and run smoothly and with the interests and comfort of the participants always kept in mind. They are by far the best tour operator we have traveled with.

Hotel Reviews

Vibe Hotel

Melbourne

Location is very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vibe Hotel Sydney

Sydney

Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, an IHG Hotel

Cairns North

Little bit far from the pier and downtown areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Great Ocean Road Scenic Tour

Melbourne

Amazing tour and fabulous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Kickstart Tour: Melbourne

Melbourne

Our tour was cancelled without a notice.

I don't know what we would have done without Vicky! When we started, we only knew we wanted to go to Australia, and nothing much else. Right from deciding which cities to visit all the way to rebooking our flights and hotels during our trip when we had an unexpected interruption, Vicky was along with us every step of the way, patiently helping us refine our plan and promptly making all the arrangements. She gave us valuable advice on the logistics of traveling with a child - where to rent strollers, what type of cookies she might like etc. The hotels were all in great locations with access to groceries as well as tourist attractions. Each hotel has a refrigerator stocked with milk, which was such a thoughtful touch.

This is the first time we've used a travel booking company and the experience was well worth it! The process of using kimkim was really natural. There was no pressure to commit so we had time to explore whether the process would work for us. The chat-based interface is its best feature, because it made the trip planning really lightweight.

Hotel Reviews

Mantra on Kent

Sydney

The location is great - with access to a convenience store and larger grocery store within reasonable walking distance. There are many attractions nearby - Hyde Park, Queen Victoria Building, Town Hall, Darling Harbor and the main shopping districts. There are tons of swanky coffee shops nearby as well. The breakfast is basic but good. Not much variety, but there are lots of eateries within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We stayed in two rooms - one faced darling harbor and the other faced the city with a view of the atrium of the Queen Victoria Building. So, everything is very close by.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vision Cairns Holiday Apartments

Cairns

We had a large balcony with a view of the bay. Very close to Muddy's Playground and Muddy's Cafe, which are both very child friendly. The boardwalk is just off the building, which leads to many restaurants and other attractions. The bedding was very comfortable and the apartment was very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

There's not many accommodation options in Yulara - but Sails is the best. The morning breakfast buffet was huge and satisfying. The restaurants on site have limited vegetarian dishes, so after a few meals, it gets repetitive. However, its a 2 minute walk to the town square where there's an IGA and other conveniences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

1 Day Uluru with Sunset BBQ - Start/End in Ayers Rock

Uluru

Food

The trip advertised "fruit and snacks". The only thing that was given was an apple. The bbq has lot of vegetarian options, but they were constantly attacked by flies which make it less appetizing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was not a good narrator/storyteller, so I really didn't follow most of the aboriginal stories or significance of Uluru, which is a shame.

Transport

Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Cairns

The cableway is great going in and the train is great coming back out (you can take a nap). The butterfly park was good but not really that spectacular. We skipped Reforestation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Sights 4 hours - Private Tour

Sydney

We say the harbor and the opera house from multiple vantage points. Bondi beach was way better than I had imagined. The guide/driver was very knowledgeable and gave us ample time of flexibility.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience (departs Cairns)

Australia

This was definitely the highlight of our trip because for the first time we saw corals that were thriving! Once the catamaran docks at the pontoon, you have 4 hours to do anything - take a semi-submersible boat tour, snorkel, guided snorkeling, first time diving etc. It can get crowded at times.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vicky was very helpful when we had an issue with a hotel that was sub par. All the tour guides we had were great, we felt so welcomed, entertained & learned so much about the land people & culture of Australia. Such wonderful, friendly people! However I need the following information to send to my Insurance Co. To try & get a refund for the Reef Palms Hotel Booking Confirmation from your Travel Supplier
Proof of refunds/credits (Any coresspondance saying they won't refund?)
Proof of Payment for Claimed Expenses (I need this)
Accident, incident, or police report: (I can fill out)
Evidence of Damage to home/destination and evidence of event ( I will do)
Photos (Which I have)

Hotel Reviews

Medusa Hotel

Sydney

Very quaint boutique hotel in a lively neighborhood, close enough to a train or a bus to get anywhere. Enjoy our stay there, highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great neighborhood, close to public transportation.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reef Palms Motel

Cairns

Right after we checked in the manager left before we saw the room, on fist sight the couch had a rip, the A/C was off &?it was sweltering in the room, the sliding door was open, when we tried to close it to get the A/C going it wouldn’t lock or shut properly. They only had one plate & cup in the kitchen for two people. The bathroom had mold. We went back to the desk to complain & the manager was gone & office locked. My husband was able to get into our room from the deck due to sliding door not locking & there was no lock box to hide valuables when we were out of the hotel. We refused to stay. This is not a 3 star place more like a 1 or 2 star.

Authenticity & Character

Everything, especially their rating system.

Location

Had to walk a log way to find a restaurant that was open.

Staff

They could refund our money!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything, clean it up, fix doors new couch, more kitchen supplies.

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Enjoyed the informative tour..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Rocks Signature Walking Tour

Sydney

Fascinating experience to learn about the beginning of Sydney’s history with the Convicts.

Quality of Experience

Fascinating history of the conflicts and all they did to make it a city.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was so knowledgeable

Transport

Silverswift to the Outer Barrier Reef - ex Cairns

Australia

It was always a bucket list to see the Barrier Reef.

Quality of Experience

Once in a life-time experience

Food

They had a good variety for everyone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They helped us when we’re sick, feed us great food, taught us about the reef

Transport

It was so choppy, otherwise a great day.

Gary was amazing helping us plan our trip to Western Australia what a beautiful country

Hotel Review

Novotel Perth Langley

Perth

Close to everything we wanted to do the staff was friends and very helpful

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Location

Walking to city and buses pick up

Staff

All staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Rottnest Island by bike

Australia

Beautiful beaches and laid back fun food great

Quality of Experience

Beaches

Perth Swan River Dinner Cruise

Perth

Loved see the city from the water

Wave Rock, York, Wildflowers & Aboriginal Cultural Tour

Perth

This rock is really cool go see it

Pinnacle Stargazing Tour

Perth

Amazing to see

Perth Arcades and Laneways Walking Tour

Perth

Lots of good information and history

Asko planned a wonderful trip - 1 week in New Zealand and 2 weeks in Australia. It was tremendously helpful to have someone who is familiar with the countries design the itinerary and book the between/within country travel needs. Things went much more smoothly than if we had to figure all of the details out ourselves. The schedule was designed in a considerate manner, allowing us time to explore cities on our own and participate in wonderful, scheduled activities. He selected activities that my mother and I thoroughly enjoyed and may not have chosen or even known about if we hadn't used kimkim. Something that was really helpful was that most of the hotels Asko booked had a free breakfast, which allowed us to easily fuel up before long days of adventure. Asko was prompt in answering questions and was very responsive when we encountered one glitch that was not the fault of Asko, kimkim, or us, which we appreciated.

This is the second time that Ruth has organised an amazing trip for us. We cannot recommend her Australian trips enough.

Hotel Reviews

Barossa Shiraz Estate

Lyndoch

Fantastic place to stay, great location and beautiful surroundings in a private vineyard. Wonderful local provisions provided and super comfortable bed.

Authenticity & Character

Stand alone period villa

Location

5 minutes out of a small country town and local eating places

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything immaculate and very comfortable

Wilpena Pound Resort

Flinders Ranges

Great staff, excellent food. Really good value for food and drink. Good family place. Loved the tours on offer

Authenticity & Character

Very suited to the location,

Location

50 kms from the nearest town, stunning scenery. Set in the bush

Staff

Staff in the restaurant and bar were really accommodating. And the local tour guides excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

We struggled with the ants in our room.

Clare Country Club

Clare

Lovely hotel, it was a shame that the hotel restaurant was closed over a holiday weekend.

Authenticity & Character

Sited by a lake and a golf course. Lots of birdlife

Location

Not far from Clare town and surrounded by excellent wineries

Staff

Loved the barmaid but can't remember her name!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable bed and very clean

Crowne Plaza Adelaide

Adelaide

Fantastic room on the 15th floor, beautiful night views of Adelaide

Location

Lots of eating and drinking places close by if you're not going to eat in the hotel restaurant

Staff

Very helpful and polite reception staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wonderful bed and bedding. Beautiful restful room and a decent shower

Activity Reviews

Drop off Rental Car

Australia

Easy to find for pick up and drop off

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All the guides on the tours at Wilpena outdoor do a wonderful job explaining the geology and cultural aspects of their environment

Morning Time Travel & Gorgeous Gorges Tour

Flinders Ranges

Jackie was our guide and we thought she was really informative and interesting.

Afternoon Sacred Canyon - Yura Mulka - Cultural Walk

Flinders Ranges

Excellent tour with a local guide who explained the significance of the drawings in the canyon and told stories about his people in a quiet way. Really enjoyed this tour