Kimkim Trip Reviews for Colombia

We were first greeted by our cheerful guide, Andrea, at the airport. We spent a day with her traveling around Bogotá. She was enthusiastic and had lots of knowledge re Colombian history, art, food, and culture. We had a great first breakfast at Hotel Coco in their top floor sunroom with views of the mountains surrounding Bogotá and a colorful spread of delicious Colombian fruits and other tasty foods.

Next, we went to Medellin and were met by Claudia and Martin. Claudia was a most excellent guide! Her knowledge, friendliness, and passion for her country was well complemented by English speaking driver, Martin, who added his own perspectives on various parts of Medellin culture and sights. We were so fortunate to have the two of them together. Our time with them was the highlight of the trip.

We then went to Cartagena and enjoyed our time there. We had a different guide for each event (Cartagena walking tour, kayaking, drum demonstration, horseback riding on the beach).
We then ended our trip with some time at the Caribbean resort island of Baru. We enjoyed kayaking to nearby islands and walking around an aviary where all the birds of Colombia are highlighted. Then one last night in Bogota before returning home.

Important points:
- so helpful to have someone greeting us at each airport and facilitating each departure (we took 3 domestic flights since driving within Colombia is too time consuming)
-very impressed with Avianca and LATAM Airlines
-easy and timely communication with trip organizers and guides using WhatsApp
-hotels were all modern and comfortable
-the best part of the trip was learning about the country by spending time with guides that were eager to show their love of Colombia, especially those that we spent multiple days with

Trip highlights not to be missed
-cable ride to Monserrate, a mountain that overlooks Bogota
-Museo Botero and Museo Del Oro- in Bogota, museum of the artist and sculptor Botero and nearby museum of gold
-Mercado de Paloquemao - tasted exotic fruits, a fun place if you like local markets
-Museo Casa de la Memoria, Medellin - museum dedicated to honor the memory of victims of urban conflict, paramilitaries, and drug trafficking in Medellin
-coffee plantation (Café de la Cima) - we visited a great family run place 1.5 hours from Medellin in Fredonia
-Guatapé - big rock to climb with stunning views and a boat ride on a nearby reservoir; tuk tuk ride in colorful town of Guatapé
-Comuna 13 and Santo Domingo neighborhoods in Medellin - use metro and metro cable car with guide
-Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia
-Getsemani neighborhood of Cartagena
-rum and chocolate tasting in Cartagena
- kayaking at Isla Baru
-aviary at Isla Baru
-street food: grilled corn, empanadas, arepas, fresh mango slices

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Coco

Bogotá

Such friendly staff! And a spectacular breakfast spread in a room that views the Bogota skyline and mountains.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe neighborhood with close by pharmacy and grocery store and tons of restaurants.

Staff

So friendly! Freddy was super helpful and welcoming!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We would recommend this hotel to all travelers.

Quinta Ladera

Medellin

Interior design was very artistic. Quiet, safe neighborhood, close to El Poblado restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Poblado neighborhood can get noisy at night though this hotel is far from the noise. Laureles neighborhood is a good alternative though not as lush with greenery.

Casa La Factoria by Faranda Boutique

Cartagena

Beautiful decor in an historic building. Great location in the old city within a few blocks of Plaza de Simon Bolívar and Plaza de Santo Domingo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Appreciated the air-conditioning.

Aura Hotel Barú By Sport Barú

Cartagena, Bolivar

Nice to have some time to relax. This was a low key retreat which was perfect for us. Kayaks, ping pong, paddle boards and other activities and games available.

Location

Very beautiful and picturesque Caribbean retreat but isolated.

Staff

Helped get us a ride to the nearby aviary.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate

Colombia

One highlight at this visit, and for the whole trip was that our guide presented us with a sample of 6 exotic juices and their corresponding fruit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea was great! She bought us some samples of fruit to take back to the hotel.

Transport

The City of The Eternal Spring & Street Food In La Comuna 13

Medellín

We didn’t now much about all the factions that was part of the violence in the earlier decades in Colombia. That changed after we visited the Casa de la Memoria museum. It was an emotionally moving set of exhibits that is a must visit for anyone interested in understanding the violence that Medellin and the rest of Colombia suffered under. Saw both comuna 13 and Santo Domingo. Two different and fascinating neighborhoods. Comuna 13 gets all the attention and as a result is very touristy but Santo Domingo is quieter and maybe more authentic. The cable ride to Santo Domingo was a breath taking view of the city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved the dynamic duo Claudia and Martin.

Transport

Travelled on the clean and modern metro and the cable car transportation.

Full day Coffee Workshop - "From the plant to the cup"

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Walked the steep hills with the coffee farmer as he explained the the coffee process. We also harvested the coffee berries our selves.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia translated for us as the farmer talked about coffee growing and roasting. Also, we tasted coffee and learn to discern different coffee types.

Transport

Discover Cartagena by Kayak

Colombia

Pleasant time kayaking but the trip did not match the description. Guide did not speak English so we did not learn much. Though Cartagena is a beautiful city from the inside, it wasn’t as interesting from the water.

Quality of Experience

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

We enjoyed a boat trip on Peñol reservoir viewing vacation homes and beautiful scenery. Some of the properties were owned by Pablo Escobar. We then climbed up the famous rock El Peñol, which was not as difficult as we thought it would be. The views were spectacular. We then went to the town of Guatape, which is a fun colorful place to visit and walk around. After that we had a really tasty lunch at a Spa/Glamping restaurant called Bosko.

Quality of Experience

Great scenery, town, guide, driver, and food.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon-Night Walking Tour

Cartagena

We learned about Cartagena‘s history walking through the old city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback ride at the Beach

Cartagena

First visited the horse farm of Paso Fino horses and learned about their unique gate. We then went to the beach and met the horses there and rode them on the beach. After that we had a nice lunch at a nearby resort.

Quality of Experience

We were met at our hotel by Maria, who it turned out, was from the family that owned the horse farm. During the drive to the farm, we learned about her life experience riding horses.

Food

Great ceviche!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drum Safari - Sounds of Cartagena

Cartagena

We had a fascinating experience learning about the Afro – Colombian rhythms presented by an ensemble of drummers and dancers in a small beach town north of Cartagena. The event didn’t include a tour of the neighborhood as the description suggested. we appreciated the importance of maintaining this heritage.

Quality of Experience

Better with a bigger audience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and interpreter Jhoker, who is also a musician, was really wonderful in helping present the info the drummers were relating.

Transport

Great driver! I left my phone in the car and he came back to give it to me.

Free day in Baru

Colombia

This was a relaxing place to close out a wonderful two week trip to Columbia. The views were beautiful from the various dining rooms. There were lots of comfortable places to sit and areas where you could play games like ping-pong or volleyball. They had kayaks and paddle boards that could be used at any time. The friendly bartender was available to make great drinks like limonada de coco and exotic cocktails. Paddling around the resort was easy in the morning when the water was still. We did manage to find a ride to a nearby aviary, which is well worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Hotel Aura Baru was well situated, relaxing, and low-key, but isolated. There is no town nearby to visit. It would been great to have an opportunity to go by shuttle to the aviary. Perhaps the hotel could provide a daily trip to the aviary for visitors who are interested.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly staff.

Transport

The ride to the aviary, which took 10 minutes, was quite expensive for Colombian standards. The hotel should provide a shuttle to the aviary once a day for anyone interested.

This is Joan and John Merriam’s review of their trip to Colombia from January 16-30 2024 which was planned and arranged by the KimKim team. We cannot say enough positive things about Margoth and Felipe and the rest of their team. During the planning stage and throughout our days in Colombia they were always quick to respond to any questions or concerns we had.

Our trip consisted of four days in each of Medellin, the Coffee District and Cartagena concluding with a two night stay in Bogota. Our accommodations were in beautiful boutique hotels in the first three locations and a very comfortable first class hotel in central Bogota. And each location included restaurant recommendation that were always superb. Our guides - Diego in Medellin, Felipe and Mauricio in the Coffee District, Gabo in Cartagena, and Maria in Bogota were all very knowledgeable and could not do enough to make our tours both educational and enjoyable.

Overall, our trip in Colombia was a great experience and one we look forward to recommending to our many friends. We think the country has much to offer to travellers and that the people of Colombia are among the warmest and friendliest people we have met on our travels in many countries all over the world.

Enjoyed our trip to Colombia.

Highly recommend Wendy. Excellent contact and follow up before and throughout the trip. The itinerary was great to see the sites and absorb the culture of Colombia.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero

Salento

Rooms were hot but thankful they gave us a portable fan. Breakfast was basic though personable staff cooked to order. TV didn’t work but the staff tried.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking to the Main Street. Quiet location.

Staff

Staff did not speak English but our guide helped.

Cleanliness & Comfort

York Luxury Suites Medellín

El Poblado, Medellin

Excellent staff and many spoke English which was helpful. All were friendly and personable. Great sunset from balcony off the fitness room. Modern hotel with kitchen facilities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A ways from everything

Staff

Friendly and very helpful that many spoke English. Reception staff was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Plus Santa Marta Hotel

Santa Marta, Magdalena

Older hotel. Rooms were comfortable. Breakfast was satisfactory. Rooms were clean but towels a bit worn.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I think everywhere in Santa Marta seemed a bit sketchy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ermita, Cartagena, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

El Cabrero, Cartagena

Comfortable hotel but on a busy road and hectic sidewalk to walk into the historic town. Floor in our room was filthy. We took our shoes off at the door and I could feel dirt under my feet. I took toilet paper and water and mopped the floor to try to get the floors clean enough. There was water under the sink and the hairdryer pouch was wet. I put tissue under the pipe to try to determine if major leak and it seemed condensation. It wasn't major so didn't call the staff. The next day the cleaning staff removed the tissue and put a towel there. Beds were comfortable. The rest of the hotel was kept very clean. Breakfast was good. Loved the fresh fruit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Please mop the floors in the rooms between guests.

GHL COLLECTION HOTEL 93

BOGOTÁ

Excellent breakfast. Food and serving staff were outstanding. Nice to have pancakes and eggs made to order. Presentation was amazing. Nice to have flavoured water in the lobby in the afternoons. The beds were comfortable. The only complaint I have is the bathroom sink is of very poor design. The angled sink was not practical. The tap was not a simple turn on and off and it sprayed everywhere including on us every time it was turned on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location to walk to restaurants and shopping mall if so desired.

Staff

Staff at Breakfast were 10 stars!!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate

Colombia

Amazing to tour the flower displays. Great to sample the fruits and drinks to get a flavour for Colombia. Interesting to see the Gold Museum. Enjoyed the drive past the murals but would have been nice to walking tour of them instead. Good to go up Monserrate mountain.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea was an excellent guide. She had great knowledge, enthusiasm and tailored the tour to do this the day after it was scheduled due to the impact of the fires where we wouldn't have been able to do a lot of it. The driver was great too. Nice to have water provided.

Transport

Good vehicle. Nice to sit in front seat so I could take pictures out the window.

The Salt Cathedral & Zipaquirá

Colombia

The Salt Cathedral is a must do when you go to Bogata. Spectacular to see and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea explained things very well and knew where to get the best pictures of us. She is very personable and respectful of other tourists.

Transport

Coffee Farm Experience

Colombia

We enjoyed our visit to the coffee farm and hearing the family's story of struggles and survival and seeing how they have developed and do their business. They were very engaging. Also enjoyed meeting their family.

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn't have lunch at the farm due to appointment by the farm owner but had a good meal in a restaurant with a beautiful property.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personable guide who was a good interpreter with the farm owners and took some good pictures of us picking the coffee beans.

Transport

Part of the overall experience was travelling in the back of the jeep to get to and from the farm.

Exclusive Cocora Valley, Salento & Filandia Experience

Colombia

Enjoyed the Valley of Wax Palms and doing the hike to the lookouts. A bit commercialized but you can avoid the tacky touristy things they have added and focus on the trails and the views. Nice viewpoint above Salento to see the valley. We did not go to Filandia due to our guide not having it in their itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent restaurant and food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both the guide and driver were personable. Nice to have water provided.

Transport

Comfortable vehicle.

The City of The Eternal Spring & Comuna 13

Medellín

Interesting tour of the city and history of the transformation. Juan Carlos Vanegas was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. The only disappointment was that the guides and drivers provided water in the other places we had visited on the tour and we expected the same. But it wasn’t provided . We had landed by plane and started the tour immediately so had no water with us. We noticed the guide stopping a few times a picking up water for himself and he should have advised us to do the same.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Enjoyed it all despite it being a rainy day. Guide adjusted the order of the sightseeing due to the weather. Glad we were able to climb the rock - it stopped raining for us and the fog lifted briefly at the top so we could get a bit of the view.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was incredible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bunkuany: The Heart of the Wold

Colombia

The description of the tour did not say it would be 12 km hike over uneven and challenging terrain. Even the guide was shocked when he read the description. The guide was excellent and very helpful. We were proud of ourselves for doing the trek. We are in good shape but others would find it difficult. Even the drive to get to the start of the hike was quite the twisty and bumpy experience. We only did this as it we needed an option to replace Tayrona Park since it was closed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Beautiful setting for the meal. Nice to have snacks during the hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guide and highly skilled driver.

Transport

Wander Cartagena’s Storied Streets & Discover the Art of Getsemaní

Cartagena

Loved the city. Beautiful colours and interesting streets. No food provided on the tour so didn’t rate it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good guide and driver.

Transport

Our Medellin experience began with superb planning by Alvaro at Kimkim Travel. We decided a short tour would be best for us and it was set up exactly as needed and tweaked when we changed something which is the beauty of Kimkim! Maria, our tour guide, met us at the airport and was lovely, informative, helpful, friendly and spoke excellent English. We then had our quiet and courteous driver, Raul, take us to our clean and comfortable hotel in a location that has everything. The hotel band was fun and entertaining. Breakfast each morning that made us feel like a King and Queen! The first tour day was 4 hours learning about the city and its history. We did the metro and cable car to Comuna 13 and the people’s story from Maria who lived through and in it. She became our friend that day. Leaving the city the 2nd tour day to Guatapé was a long and exciting day to The Rock where Maria and I climbed to the top - 702 steps. People cheered on our arrival at ground level and the memories are forever depicted in our views and photos at the top. The next day was SW of the city to the finest coffee plantation where the son in the family business showed us and explained the entire process of making a cup of coffee. Cima in Fredonia, was 2 hours away from our start but the drive with Raul again, made it relaxing. Maria interpreted since the family spoke no English. They made a delicious meal and finally coffee tasting. We dined at suggested restaurants at night that Maria advised were best. The 3rd day was a drive to La Miel - a nature conservation area of river and waterfall where we had a 90 minute hike on a natural trail of water running through rocks while we were educated on the area and flora and fauna by Lena - interpreted through Maria. Lena was wonderful too and at the end we cleaned up and changed for an excellent cooking class and meal at Martha’s - a woman who grows everything she prepares. The flowers, birds, hilled surroundings, made such a memorable day. We rate 12 out of 10 for each special day of the tour and return home with new friends and recommend Kimkim as the travel agents who plan specifically for their client’s needs!! Mary and Rudy Ralian of Wisconsin. Gracias Amigos!!!!

The online staff was quick to respond and super helpful. Our guide Daniela was knowledgeable and fun.

From the planning to the execution, working with Michael and team was been a pleasure. Before we left, Michael responded to every question promptly and patiently. While we were in Columbia, every driver was courteous and on time, and every guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Our lodgings were all comfortable and in excellent locations. Columbia is a beautiful country, and its people are kind and lovely. Thank you for helping us enjoy this wonderful place!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Legado

Bogota

Beautiful hotel, great location, outstanding service. Clearly lots of thought put into the design of the hotel to make it not only lovely, but comfortable for guests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quinta Ladera

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location. Easy walking distance to all the shops and restaurants in Provenza, but nestled on a quiet block--the best of both worlds!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

We had an exceptional stay at the Sofitel Calablanca. The property is beautiful. All rooms are lovely, have spectacular Caribbean views, and are beautifully decorated. The food at all the restaurants was excellent. But, what makes this place truly exceptional is the service. Every member of the staff is well-trained, kind, friendly, and focused on the customer experience. We took the high speed boat from Cartegena to the hotel. Fun experience and so much faster than taking a car service back! One note...while the beach at this hotel is lovely and quiet, it is not the "white sand" of Playa Blanca on Isla Baru, which was a slight disappointment. The beach is pretty gravelly--I'm guessing the jungle originally came right down to the beach (as it does on either side of the property), and when Sofitel developed the property, they dredged the coastline and brought in sand. We wanted to avoid crowds, so this did not diminish our enjoyment of the property, but if you are looking for soft white sand gently sloping into the ocean, that is not what this beach offers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Absolute highlight. The guide was excellent, and really helped us understand Medellin's unique history, and all that has been accomplished in the last 15 years. Loved taking the authentic experience of taking the metro system and the gondolas around town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daytrip: Silletera Culture in Santa Elena & La Piedra de Guatapé

Medellín

Great day. We really enjoyed and learned a lot at the flower farm (the gentleman who hosted us there was delightful!). We were a bit surprised (honestly disappointed) at how commercial Guatape was, but very much enjoyed the drive and the view from the top. The walk through the town afterwards was fun as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Streetfood Experience

Medellín

We enjoyed going to the market, and trying the fresh Arepas con Chocolo (literally right off the grill). Otherwise, we're not big juice drinkers, and perhaps we are just not big fans of street food in Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Social Dinner-Experience: Colombian Food

Bogotá

We didn't really understand what this was until we arrived that evening. While the food was okay (honestly, it might just be that we don't love traditional Columbian food, which doesn't use very many spices), we really enjoyed the young woman who hosts this experience. She was a fascinating person with great ideas and observations about food, culture, and Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I returned to Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota with the incredible package by KimKim, a travel agency that truly understands the art of crafting unforgettable experiences. What made this trip truly exceptional was the outstanding service provided by their dedicated travel agent, Margarita Moreno.

From the moment we began planning our adventure, Margarita's expertise and commitment to ensuring our satisfaction shone through. Our group consisted of high-profile, spontaneous world travellers with changing unique plans and demands, and Margarita not only met but exceeded every expectation.

One of the standout features of KimKim's service was the seamless customization of our itinerary. Margarita listened attentively to our preferences and meticulously curated an itinerary that perfectly balanced cultural exploration, relaxation, and adventure. The result was a journey that felt tailor-made for us, providing an authentic and immersive experience in each city.

What truly set Margarita apart, however, was her unwavering dedication to going above and beyond her duties. I was very impressed, when in Medellin we commissioned a large format artwork, and Margarita took it upon herself to shipped to us in USA. The fact that she went the extra mile to coordinate the shipping speaks volumes about her commitment to ensuring our satisfaction and creating lasting memories.

Throughout the trip, Margarita's attention to detail, extensive local knowledge, and proactive communication made everything effortless. From organizing private tours to recommending hidden gems, she demonstrated a level of professionalism and personalization that truly set KimKim apart.

The accommodations selected for us were not only luxurious but also strategically located, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the local culture and vibrant atmospheres of Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota. Every day felt like a new adventure, and we owe much of that to Margarita's thoughtful planning.

The most impressive thing about Michael is that his response time was extremely timely and good.

He was able to secure a great bird guide for my in Tyrona National park. The guide will make or break a birding trip.

I would highly recommend Michael to help organize a trip to Columbia.

We're still absolutely blown away by our incredible trip to Colombia. It's an amazing, friendly, beautiful, adventurous, exciting, safe and super-friendly country and we loved every minute of our time there.
And the main reason for that is the wonderful service we received from Michael at Chaska Tours, who from our very first enquiry in March 2023, to our eventual arrival in Colombia in Dec 2023 was on hand with suggestions, advice and a friendly approach - nothing was too much trouble!
And then from the minutewe set foot in Colombia, and throughout our entire five weeks exploring, Michael and the Chaska team took care of everything - all our transfers, guides, accommodation and excursions - in the most professional and efficient way imaginable.
We couldn't have seen, done, experienced and met everyone and everything we did without their help, and it was fantastic.
Thanks so much for everything... we will remember this trip for a very long time!

My husband and I booked our family trip (with our 5 year old son) to Colombia about 6 weeks from our travel date and needed to work rather quickly to determine our itinerary, especially as we were traveling during the busy winter holidays. We did a quick search of itineraries for Medellin and Cartagena and came across KimKim. While we usually prefer to do our own research and planning, we decided we would try out an agency given the timing and convenience and since we didn’t know much about Colombia. Michael was extremely responsive, flexible and helpful during our planning. We started with an all-inclusive trip to understand the cost and options, and then scaled back once we had a better understanding of what KimKim could provide. We went back to Michael with more questions and changes, and each time he returned our message within hours or at the ½ day at the most. While we knew we were going to pay a premium (likely twice what you would pay to do on your own), we were really happy with the service and recommendations we received. For the days we weren’t using KimKim, we were offered recommendations for restaurants and other activities that we could explore on our own which we found helpful. Additionally, we felt as if we had someone on the ground who could help answer questions along the way should they come up. We were very scheduled (our choice) and at one point we decided to cancel an activity the night before due to our child feeling sick. Michael immediately offered other options and ideas, for which we were grateful - ultimately decided that it was a sunk cost and were happy with our itinerary and to take it easy. We were also glad that we booked private excursions and it was a relief not to have to think about all of the daily logistics. If we had one suggestion it might be to update travel times for some of the excursions e.g. in Santa Marta there was a lot of traffic and the travel times were about double than expected. We would definitely recommend KimKim if you want the luxury of not having to think about anything yourself and have a little peace of mind. We were very satisfied with our experience working with Michael!

Margoth was an incredible planner. The trip, transfers, hotels, restaurants were all spectacular. The guides, Andreas, Daniellia, and Alejandro were knowledgeable, game and so much more. The food in Bogota was amazing, the market had so much to see and taste. Cartagena's charm did not disappoint. The Bastion Hotel in the heart of the old city was an oasis. Do not miss the drum workshop. In Cali, the salsa was amazing. Our class set us up to go clubbing, so much fun!
Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Activity Reviews

Tejo Activity (Colombian Local Game)

Bogotá

We both agreed this was a fun way to start our trip. We went right after the airport and it got us into the local culture straight off.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Bogotá City Tour (with Gold Museum, Local Market and Monserrate Hill)

Bogotá

The market was incredible. So much to taste and see! Flowers galore as well as fruits and vegetables we had never seen before. Tasting along the way made it all so much fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset with Drums and Music Workshop

Cartagena

This was a lot of fun. Drumming along with the band and dancing with the young dancers was a really wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Our family of 4 had a fantastic trip to Colombia. Margoth and her team were terrific to work with. From the first moment we corresponded and throughout the trip they were a delight to deal with. We visited Cartegena and Medellin over 8 days. Each day was well planned and the recommended activities, hotels, restaurants, tours, etc were all to our liking. They stayed close to us throughout the trip and all our requests were handled promptly without issue. I would highly recommend Margoth and her team!

The trip was very well organized. All the guides and drivers showed up when they were supposed to. The guides were all very knowledgeable and personable. We spent the most time with Andres for our Playa Tayrona National Park portion of the trip. He was a great person to work with, fun, knowledgeable and polite and well organized. We had a great day hiking with him in the Park and another great day with him tubing down the Don Diego River. Our private boat trip through the Rosario Islands to snorkel was fantastic!

One aspect of Kim Kim I loved was being able to ask questions of the guide on What's App such as what to bring, when we were going to have lunch, etc. It was like having a personal guide with you all the time at your disposal.

I would highly recommend Wendy and the KIM KIM team for your travels to Colombia.

This trip was really wonderful. Margarita was excellent. She was responsive and always able to come up with plans and was extremely accommodating to our preferences and requests. The on-site representatives and drivers were great. They were on time, friendly and easy to communicate with. Of note, Camelo and Andres were absolutely wonderful, going above and beyond. Andres was extremely knowledgeable about the history and facts of Colombia. He treated us like special guests throughout our time together. The hotels and restaurants that Margarita selected were excellent quality. We'll definitely be using KimKim to plan future travel adventures. Thank you!

The team planned a fantastic two week trip for us! Everything was smooth and communication was great!

We especially loved our guide in Bogotá, Byron, who had a whole fountain of information and historical context to share. And our time in Cartagena with Carolina was very meaningful; we loved the drum workshop and mangrove tour.

All of the details were cleanly planned out and made for a relaxing and enjoyable time!

Activity Reviews

Drums and Music Workshop

Cartagena

For me, this was the highlight of the trip! It was so fun to learn about the history of Cumbia and other Colombian music. The entire drum workshop crew had so much energy. Don't miss this one!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So much energy!

Transport

Local Fruit Market and Street food Tour

Bogotá

Byron was a fantastic guide and made this super smooth and very authentic! This again was something we would have never been able to do on our own!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Coffee Farm Tour

Medellín

We learned so much about how coffee is grown and made! Great staff, and delicious coffee too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mangrove Tour with Local Fisherman

Cartagena

This was such a unique experience! The local fisherman showed us a whole different world in the mangroves. It was so nice to get off the beaten path and check out this area! We learned a ton, and would have never experienced this elsewhere.

Quality of Experience

So unique!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing. Michael did a fantastic job to patiently work through the trip planning and he got it right! I appreciated the variety of the trip and the flexibility when we wanted to make last minute changes.

We had an amazing 9 day trip to Colombia. Michael was very responsive and everything went off with no problems.

Hotel Review

Hotel Bosques del Saman Alcala

Alcala - Filandia

We did not enjoy this hotel or the location of the hotel. It needs some updating and is very far from most of the tourist things. Breakfast was pretty good but there were very few healthy dinner options for Vegetarians.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

We loved this tour! It showed us so much of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Streetfood Experience

Medellín

We loved trying all the fruits and vegetables as well as the yummy street food. We were able to understand the food culture and try new things.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Margarita did a great job curating our trip, communicating before and during the trip and worked hard to make sure we were well cared for and having a good time.
All of the activities and accomodations met or exceeded our expectations.
A big shout out to Sol, our guide during our time in Medellin. She brought great energy and insights and was just fun to be with.
Thank you!

Michael planned an amazing trip for us! He really listened to all of our family's interests, and found the perfect activities for us. All of the travel he planned for us within the country was seamless and the tour guides were so knowledgeable and interesting. We particularly loved Manuela in Medellin and Jorge in Santa Marta. This was truly one of the greatest vacations we have ever experienced!

Hotel Reviews

Landmark Hotel Medellín

Medellín

Really fun hotel in a great area! The coffee shop in the lobby was really good and they even have a yoga studio!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Islabela

This was a fun experience, it was very rustic and beautiful. Lots of fun activities were offered, we particularly liked snorkeling!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Marina Santa Marta (Grand Marina Suites)

Santa Marta

Great view, great location, and the kids loved the pool!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tayronaka Natural Reserve

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosario Islands Snorkeling & Bioluminescence

Rosario Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coconut Workshop

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Streetfood Experience

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daytrip: Silletera Culture in Santa Elena & La Piedra de Guatapé

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Marta City Tour

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm in Minca

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Market Visit & Cooking Class

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our best guide was Miguel in Medellin. He was completely attentive and engaged at all times. His knowledge was incredible.

Michael from Chaska was amazing to work with. The trip was planned and executed perfectly.

The only issue we had was with the bike tour. It is not safe to put tourists on bicycles in busy traffic. It was chaos on the streets. The bikes were old and we felt unsteady on them. Halfway through the tour, I fell and cut my leg in a few places. Despite having 2 representatives from the bike companyand our guide, no one had a first aid kit in their backpacks. I had to get back on the bike and ride to a pharmacy so that I could clean and dress my wounds. I would never send my clients on that bike tour. I think someone should let the bike company know that they should have a first aid kit with them at all times.