Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

Our custom private trip through Ecuador designed by KimKim exceeded all expectations. Maria Jose was our local specialist and she was very easy to work with throughout the whole planning process. It took 5 drafts to get the trip to look exactly how we wanted which was a very fast process only taking about 2 days. Maria was happy to make any and all adjustments to the trip until it was exactly how we wanted it. She booked all parts of our trip for us: hotels, excursions, private guides, and private transportation for the entire trip. All of the excursions and activities were amazing and so much fun!
There were multiple points on our trip where plans had to change due to unforeseen circumstances and Maria was quick to get everything handled. She checked in on us daily and even stopped by our hotel the first day to drop off some goodies and welcome us to her country! She was so kind and attentive throughout it all and we are so grateful for her!

Our first guide, David, took us birding in the cloud forest of Mindo. His excitement for birds was infectious and his love for his country was obvious. He was such a wonderful guide and we thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Our second guide, Sebastian, was so easy to get along with. Laid back and kind, he took us from Quito to Cotopaxi to Mindo. For 2.5 days, he guided us on little hikes and adventures and he felt more like a friend than a paid guide. We changed plans multiple times and he always was amenable to whatever we wanted. His knowledge about his country was impressive. We had so much fun with Sebastian.
Our final guide was Eva who guided us through the Amazon jungle for 4 days. So kind, so knowledgeable, and so fearless when it came to handling the Amazonian creepy crawlers. We did so many adventures together and it always felt like she was just our really cool friend who was doing everything with us.
All three guides were top notch and had multiple similarities: so laid back, kind, knowledgeable, and were clearly proud to be Ecuadorian.

Our trip was a 10/10 from start to finish and we would absolutely do it all over again!

Working with KimKim took all the hassle and stress out of planning and navigating our trip, well worth the money spent!

Thanks Maria and KimKim!

A fantastic tour put together by Mathias! Every detail was thought out carefully and planned for our group of 4 adults and 5 children aged between 4-9. All we did was show up and the airport, and everything else was handled for the rest of the trip until we got back to the airport. Mathias was very responsive through the planning phase and always answered my multiple questions with consideration of my family and the needs of the kids and what we would all enjoy. All allergies and dietary restrictions were conveyed to everyone involved and all restaurants we ate at, so we never had to worry. When anything unexpected came up, our guide Mishell was quick to make changes on the fly and make sure everything was handled. She would always help watch out for our family and kids and watched their reactions at certain points ... She would then make suggestions on making any changes to future plans based on what she thought they would like. We had a great time in Quito and Otavalo seeing all the sights, the old town, the market, crater lake, the teleferiqo cable car, and so much more. Our time in the rainforest at was very different than other trips we have taken, but we thoroughly enjoyed our time visiting the Amazon and learning about the culture and people that call it home, including a boat ride down the river looking out for animals, and hiking through the forest. To end it all, we stopped (as planned by Mathias) for a few hours at the Papallacta hot springs to recover and relax after all the days of activities and excursions. Overall, the planning and execution by Mathias and the Authentic Ecuador team, as well as constant communication thought the trip between Mathias and Mishell, and with us... Was unmatched and unbeatable. Would highly recommend to anyone considering this tour or this company! Ask for Mathias, and you will not regret it and will have the time of your life in beautiful Ecuador! We are already thinking about a return trip in a couple years to the Galapagos!

Hotel Reviews

Swissotel Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakuna Matata Lodge

Archidona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Otavalo Market & Cuicocha Crater Lake

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jungle Hike

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Session

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazon Safari

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Archidona - Papallacta Hot Springs - Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am a kimkim employee traveling with family, and Paola went out of her way to make sure we were taken care of, and every one of our needs were met! She set us up with a knowledgeable driver/guide who showed us all the best places and introduced us to authentic food choices and experiences. We couldn't have asked for anything more.

Hotel Reviews

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

Great location, safe, clean, nice accomodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

very centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Celebrity Flora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

This activity was so interesting and informative. It was worth the drive south.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Airport transfer to Quito City

Ecuador

Nice clean car with safe driving!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ride the Cable Car to Pichincha Volcano

Quito

We enjoyed the hike, the swing, and the views from the cable car.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic time in Ecuador with so many different experiences and did not expect that a small country had so much to see and do. In our travels in central and south America, Ecuador is definately one of the best places we have visited. Each area we visited were special in their own way, making it hard to pick a favourite.
Our trip would not have been as enjoyable without the planning that Jacquie and Alvaro did.
Further the guides we had, Sofia in Galapagos, Guido in Amazon, and Dan in
Quito were some of the best we've come across. Their knowledge of their areas, the support they gave, their enthusiasm and professionalism made our trip very fulfilling.
We would like to specifically mention Dan who spent so many days with us and made it very enjoyable by being flexible on our tours, very knowledgeable on many aspects of Ecuador, and showed his fondness of his country with his upbeat personality. He is an asset to your company and we definately would recommend him to anyone who would travel to the area.
We hope to someday come back to Ecuador and hope to have Dan, Sofia and Guido show us around again and for Jacqie and Alvaro plan our new adventures.
Our best wishes to you all.

Andrea’s at the cloud forest was fantastic as was Gabriel at le selva I enjoyed the rides and service from Sebastian and getting information about Ecuador

Hotel Reviews

Piripe Lodge

Pacto

Very peaceful place

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat

Yasuní National Park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Very clean and great service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Laguna Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pululahua Crater

Quito

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andean Cock-of-the-rock

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Optional Activities in the Cloud Forest

Ecuador

Great bike ride and am viewing of birds

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maquipucuna Reserve

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bicycle Tour through the Cloud Forest

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Observation Tower, Garza Cocha Lake & Night Walk

Yasuni National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Parrot Clay Lick, Indigenous Community & Jungle Hike

Yasuni National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Last rainforest activities, Transfer to Coca & Arrival to Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scuba Diving - Day Trip from Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to another uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Flamingo Lagoon

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a great trip Linda did a great job planning everything! The drivers were wonderful loved the Carrera family they were always on time picking us up and dropping us off. They went above and beyond teaching us about Ecuador and what we needed to know. Guides were also amazing Andreas in cloud forest, Gabriel in ran forest were both my favorites! I can not express my gratitude enough we will definitely use KimKim again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Great hotel Douglas made us feel right at home! He made great scrambled eggs too,🤣

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance from downtown!

Staff

Douglas

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat

Yasuní National Park

Rooms were nice! Food was very good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the Amazon rainforest

Staff

Always had a clean room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Piripe Lodge

Pacto

Nice rooms in the cloud forest staff was very accommodating food was great also!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Laguna Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Hotel was nice breakfast was good! It was not as nice as the other hotels and was noisy at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Loved this hotel located in downtown Quito. Liked that every room we stayed in was decorated differently

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pululahua Crater

Quito

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Cloud Forest

Ecuador

Gabrielle was great we saw a lot of different things at night

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were able to see an hear different things at night in the rain forest

Optional Activities in the Cloud Forest

Ecuador

Hike to the waterfall for a swim at piripie lodge was great along with the tour of the grounds learned about different fruits etc Also hike to waterfall in Mashpi was wonderful also if you like to hike along the way Andreas should us different birds frogs and plants loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bicycle Tour through the Cloud Forest

Ecuador

I did have a good time riding bikes in cloud forest but felt it wasn’t the best place to ride! It was all up hill for a little while but Andreas was right there with the truck to help the down hill was a little scary but had fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andreas was great!

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Observation Tower, Garza Cocha Lake & Night Walk

Yasuni National Park

Saw a lot of birds it was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andean Cock-of-the-rock

Ecuador

These birds are very beautiful and we were delighted we got to see a few and video them

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maquipucuna Reserve

Ecuador

Loved learning about this reserve would visit again. The hike and guide were ok lunch was very good lots of hummingbird loved there organic garden

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Parrot Clay Lick, Indigenous Community & Jungle Hike

Yasuni National Park

Never saw anything like the clay lick before! Also, loved the indigenous community it was very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Last rainforest activities, Transfer to Coca & Arrival to Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

Loved the land turtles and lava tunnels!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The research center was ok we did learn about all the turtles and George! I thought there would be more about Charles Darwin also would have liked to be able to change it was chilly in Quito so I wore jeans and a light sweater by the time we got to the research center it was pretty warm!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was ok

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Bartolome hike was beautiful at the top definitely worth doing! Snorkeling was amazing there also visibility was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to another uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Flamingo Lagoon

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Loved the kayaking again saw some amazing things penguins watch blue footed boobies dive, sea lions pelicans guide was really good I don’t remember her name but she was good 👍

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Best snorkeling ever! Sea turtles,sea horses, sharks, mana rays it was wonderful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

It was a good long hike the guide was very enthusiastic the crater and lava flows were great to see very interesting! This was another place were it was rushed right after this we were picked up to go back to Santa Cruz we were so dirty and dusty we just wanted to take a shower but I am glad we did the hike even if it meant we had to be really grimy for a couple hours.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a tailored / customised trip without budget. Few points about the planning and service with Responsible Travel.
1. Itinerary inaccurate information compared with actual program. We had a few days with less hour in the program mainly hiking compared to actual and Restaurant was too far, which we had our lunch only after 4PM. Due to poor planning from Alvaro.
2. Timing planned by Alvaro was not accurate, failed to check and/or update the latest information since the plan was almost a year ago. He should update and inform us as we paid 30% and in full prior to trip.
3. We had reminded him 1 month and 2 weeks prior to the trip if he checked all program and requirement are in order. Obviously, he did not as it was not well planned on some days.
4. Dietary concern was also not properly managed and/or arranged. Portion of lunch was insufficent especially the protein since I was not able to eat many other items due to my health - Informed a year ago.
5. Alvaro has not provided accurate information and/or the equired information to the local guides about our requirements - according to the local guides that informed us.
6. We requested price to be ALL-IN as we do not want hassle during the trip with too much phyiscal cash on hand and wrote Alvaro to make of that, which includes the Domestic Flight to Galapagos island. We were not informed at all of the limited luggage for domestic flight. We had to last minute pay for the over weight luggage. Unnecessary inconveniences if Alvaro had provided clear information - we would request for him to include any extra weight for domestic flight.
7. I had obviously provided my displeased on the program and Alvaro did not take the construtive criticisim well. The arrogant attitude handling a displeased customer was what put us off. He stop addressing me by name and addressed only to my husband which was disrespectful considering I was the one a year ago decided and planned this with Alvaro.
8. There were unsincere apologies from Alvaro and his boss. We have arranged all our customised trips with many other agencies all over the world including other South America countries - Every agencies would provide some form of compensation due to the poor planning, lack of information, bad hotels, food etc and poor arrangement with local guides. But Responsible Travel gave only excuses for their mistakes and nothing more.

Last point, tourist travel always take time to take photographs, especially one with a proper camera. However, we were always in the rush with the local guide cum driver and/or driver, with no consideration whatsoever to slow down or check if we needed to take a proper photos. Either thats the people in Ecuador or just the guide selected by Responsible travel, which was not good.

This is not the travel agency we were recommend and certainly we will not use them again.

My husband and I loved our 10-day trip to Ecuador with Kimkim. Nick put together a great itinerary and was very patient with our many questions and changes. Once we arrived, Nick checked in periodically to make sure all was going smooth. And we had great experience with Sebastian, our local guide, who drove us between destinations, took us on tours/hikes, gave us tastes of local cuisine, had vast knowledge of the flora/fauna, culture and history of Ecuador, helped with translation, and generally made sure we were taken care of. We had never used a travel service, generally preferring to arrange our own travel, but we were very impressed with everything. And for our honeymoon, it was so nice to not have the extra stress of planning.

I would like to say I am grateful for Tamer and most especially to Karla who made the plans, changes and answered all my questions as i planned for this trip. Having a tight budget, Karla still managed to put together a good itineray for me. I also appreciated that Karla went to see me personally and took me out for coffee overlooking the city of quito. I felt special and i can say this is above and beyond her duty. So thank you, Karla.

My guides in Quito and Amazon - Christian and Sergio, respectively, are very knowledgeable and really took care of me and ensures my safety. They are very welcoming and i did not felt alone with this trip. So thank you very much for them. The reason for the 3 stars is that i did not have a positive experience in my 3 days Galapagos trip. It was supposed to be the highlight of my trip. I have shared my feedback as a solo traver and also provided improvements / recommendations to Tamer/Karla.

I would still like to explore more of the Galapagos and hopefully my experience would be better next time.

Hotel Reviews

Isla de Baños

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

More friendly receptionist

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

Best experience I had!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Laguna

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

English speaking should be helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Toilet was leaking

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

Owners are welcoming, genuine and very plessant

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Activity Reviews

Quito - Coca - Napo Cultural Center

Ecuador

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuri Muyu (Kichwa traditions) - Canopy Tower - Traditional Dinner

Yasuni National Park

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

language; did not ask how i am feeling or if i have questions. We ate lunch, in silence and continued usung her phone while eating

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

Guides should tell the traveler what to expect, what kind of clothes and shoes to wear, etc. i was told a guide would come in the water for snorkeling but that was not the case. So i ended up not going to the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat journey wasnt that nice

Transfer to Baños via Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Pailon del Diablo; the Charm of Baños - Back to Quito

Ecuador

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Wayusa Ritual - Coca - Quito

Yasuni National Park

I did not go to the ritual

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The planning of the trip with Nicholas to the entire experience in Ecuador exceeded all expectations. Nicholas was responsive and dedicated to be sure we had a wonderful trip even coming to welome us to his city and checking throughout the trip to be sure all was going well and making a change to our trip on the Gallapagos. The guide Sebastian, for the majority of our time in the Andes region, was fanastic. His compassion, his knowledge in so many areas, his dedication to point out and explain, his English, his joy of life and enthusiam, his patience, his driving ability was top notch. He was the BEST. Seeing so much like Quito, the equator museum, the cooking class, hiking to the base camp of Cotapaxi and staying at the Hacienda near the park there, Mindu and the chocolate factory, Otavala and the Hacienda there, Cocachi, Banos and the waterfalls were incredible. Staying at the Wyndham by the aiport and being able to enjoy their marvelous breakfast before our flight to the Yunisani Napa cultural center in the Amazon and the again from Gallopagos was convenient and top notch. Although each island in the Gallapogos had its own charm and beauty and all of the excursions and guides were amazing and superb my personal favorite hotel was the Cassa playa Mann in San Cristobal. The family owners Jose and Lucy and hammocks on the patio and the breakfast were great. Wilson our guide of the town and museum was enthusiastic to share his love for his island. In Santa Cruz Felipe our guide for Seymore island was great pointing out and telling so much about the plants and wildlife and our guide for the Darwin Center and El Chato tortoise reserve was a pleasure and made sure we enjoyed all parts including a great coffee at 1835 before we started. Having a liesure day and exploring Tortuuga Bay was so incredible and enjoying the pool at the hotel La Fiesta was wonderful , but realized their is still more to explore on this island. On San Isabel it was amazing to be staying right on the beach at the Albermarle and loved the quiet of the island. I think my favorite tour with guide Luis on Los Tuneles was one of my favorites. Luis took such care of every person on the tour and made sure that everyone saw the animals and then sent us pictures and videos he took. An amazing memory. Tintoreras and the Volcano were super tours as well and renting bikes to go the the Wall of Tears was a wonderful way to spend our last day seeing black marine iguanas, land tortoise, pink flamingos, sea lions, and many birds along the way. Thank you Nicholas for creating a unforgetable memory for us.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Playa Mann

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The decor and hospitality are superb of this family owned hotel. Lucy and Jose are great. The breakfast is good. The hammocks on the balcony in our room was awesome and relaxing overlooking the ocean. The beds are comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Family owned and charming authenticity

Location

Though not right on the beach it is close and the view is great which made it perfect. Very close walk to a swimming beach.

Staff

Kindness, attentive, spoke great English,

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis the guide with Luis the captain and Eduardo the first mate were top notch. Luis made sure everyone got to see all the animals during the snorkel, and took some great pictures. Luis the captain cpuld really navigate the boat allowing us great views of the blue footed boobies on unity rock.

Transport

We loved the Galapagos! We had originally planned to go in November, but, unfortunately, my father died the day before we were supposed to leave. Alvaro rearranged things and then re-planned an even longer trip for us about 9 months later. The local guides were prompt, friendly and very knowledgeable about the islands.

We could not be happier with our experience with the Ecuador-based KimKim team. The service provided by Maria Jose, who was our trip coordinator, was outstanding from day one. She made sure to understand our goals and vision for the trip, and was patient enough to work through multiple itinerary versions until we finalized it together. The chose the correct hotels, routes, and activities based on what we spoke about, and the guides/personnel on the ground that they reserved for us were trustworthy, puntual, and very knowledgeable. Every day they checked in on us with a text, to make sure that everything was going accordingly, which is a sign of excellent service. I highly recommend working with Maria Jose/Tamer and the ecuador KimKim team - I will do so for my next trip as well, and will even look into working through KimKim for visits made to other countries. 5/5, thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda Abraspungo

Guano

Excellent service, very nice people. Make sure to request the horse riding trip, it was stunning. The rooms were very comfortable, and the restaurant is 5/5. The view of the volcanoes is breathtaking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Great team and managers, Mattia was very polite and respective of our needs during our stay. The rooms are very pretty, warm, and comfortable, and the views are breathtaking. I would definitely stay there again, and hope to return soon! Oh, and the restaurant was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Dairy Farm Visit in La Alegria

Cotopaxi

Great experience horseback riding, and the operators/owners were very nice. They even had lunch with us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After spending a week in the Amazon jungle with friends & family on a service project, I wanted to spend another week in Ecuador, but had some hesitations as a solo traveler. Tamer understood my concerns and gave me assurances that allowed me to relax and move forward with the trip. He put together a nicely balanced itinerary that covered a few days in Quito followed by whale watching in Puerto Lopez. Tamer researched the conditions in Puerto Lopez to ensure that portion of the trip would be safe and worthwhile. Everything went smoothly including plenty of whale sightings! For the Quito activities, Tamer arranged for an excellent private guide, Sebastian, who was accommodating, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous.

Tamer was in touch every morning and evening for a quick chat and reminders. It was nice to know he had my back and was available should anything come up. He was great with details, made timely responses to my many questions, and handled with grace & efficiency some late-in-the-game changes to my plans.

Tamer was our overall trip coordinator and he was very attentive and responsive particularly given that he coordinated the trip from Quito.
Special mention to Darwin our guide for Los Tunales and to Hulio for our trek up to the Negra caldera.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Beautiful vista and very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Amazing beach for walking in the morning and the staff were very helpful (even walked us to a restaurant)!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

We were on the top floor do a bit of extra exercise but it was a nice hotel and the view was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Puerto Ayora

The tortoises’s were very memorable and the guide was very good. The food at the restaurant was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Stunning vistas and sea animals. The snorkelling with the sea lions was such a special experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

There was a delay in the arrival of our guide/driver which turned out to be due to an unexpected cancellation. There was limited communication and when we finally got on a boat we were still not sure if it was the right excursion. The trip over was with heavy seas so it was a challenging voyage. The sites were interesting but much of the content shared by the guide was already new.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Ecuador

One of the highlights of our trip. Darwin was an amazing guide and even provided underwater photos to each of us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The boat driver was unbelievable navigating between the lava rocks so we could see the flora and fauna.

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Ecuador

Another great trip and Hulio was an excellent guide. Beautiful vistas and worth the 16 km. hike’

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

The trip to the beach was beautiful. Unfortunately there was not a lot to see at Kicker Tock on this particular visit but it was still a great experience to snorkel around it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was probably my best vacation. The Galapagos islands are breathtaking.

Kimkim Team took a care of all arrangements for us including accommodations, all required permissions, transportation from island to island and daily trip activities with professional guides.
Tamer stayed in contact with us every day and answer any question we had. His assistance also helped us to enjoy our entire trip.

I highly recommend Kimkim Team service to every tourist who is planning to visit unforgeable Galapagos Islands.

Best Regards,
Zuzana Janosova Den Boer
June 2024

Alvaro put together a comprehensive itinerary for my first trip not only Ecuador but to the continent of South America. I normally do my own research and planning but figured I would give this a try this time. Alvaro had very good suggestions on what I was looking for and after numerous discussions - he was able to adjust and modify the itinerary that suited my wants/needs. Alvaro was very responsive to my messages and did his best to accommodate my requests for additional services. Belen, my local contact in Ecuador, was also great to work with. Even with the initial problem upon my arrival that was stressful at the time - Alvaro and Belen worked promptly to resolve the issue of my airport to hotel transfer. I really enjoyed my time in Ecuador and would recommend using Kimkim to anyone.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Nice and spacious rooms. The noise from the outside varies based on the location of the room. I found that the rooms on the upper floors tended to be noisier. Food was ok. The hotel was located within walking distance of Plaza Fochs, where there were many restaurant options to choose from.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

noisy when on the upper floor, even past 10pm

Suchipakari Jungle Lodge

Puerto Misahuallí, Tena Napo

Rustic experience in the jungle. I think one has to manage their expectations when staying here. The rooms are nice and comfortable - no air conditioning but a fan is available. Even with screened windows, it's still not unexpected to find insects inside the room like moths or small ants. Power outage is also par for the course - especially with the unpredictable weather that could go from sunny and humid, to a deluge of rain. The staff were amazing - they made the experience totally enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovering Colonial Quito on 2 Wheels!

Quito

Great way to see the sights in Quito. Thank you Jhonatan and Daniel! You two are great ambassadors for the city of Quito.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature and Hike Quilotoa (Shared Trip )

Quito

The views of the crater lake were amazing. The 2 stops before Quilotoa (local market and visiting an indigenous household) were ok.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding Day at Cotopaxi National Park (Shared Trip)

Ecuador

Probably the most memorable experience for me during this 10-day trip. I was the only one taking the horseback riding tour amongst my group, so I lucked out with getting a private tour with my guide. It was a my first time horseback riding and I was very grateful to have a docile horse. The ride was challenging - involving flats on the plains surrounding Cotopaxi, some hills and valleys, and water crossings. The weather went from cloudy, to rainy and cold. As challenging as it was, I felt privileged to be able to experience it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hotsprings in Termas de Papallacta

Ecuador

Great place for rest and relaxation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Gateway to the Amazon – your portal to an extraordinary adventure!

Archidona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazonian Delights: Wildlife, Culture, and Serenity Along the Napo River

Archidona

Challengingly unique experience. This whole experience was even made more special because of my guide Carlos. He truly looked after my safety while providing a fun cultural experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Chocolate Crafting and Tasting Experience - Return to Quito

Archidona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Ecuador

Driver was on time. Car was nice and clean.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time in Eucador (Quito, Amazon rainforest, Galapagos Islands) and the experience with KimKim was amazing. We had a guide all the time helping us with activities, travel and communication. I would highly recommend KimKim.
The only thing we did not like was the overnight bus journey to Cuyabeno which was very stressful.. We were expecting the bus to be little more comfortable (like a luxury sleeper bus). We did not have any sleep all through the night and the quality of the seats were bad.

The airport pickups, rides to hotel, personal tour guides, and drive across the beautiful countryside was MAGNIFICENT to say the least. The team did an excellent job, easy to reach at any time during the day/night, and our guide Christian was PHENOMENAL, super kind, bilingual, and most of all knowledgeable When it comes to Ecuador and its history, places to visit, location and sights to see, he was on point and super helpful with advice. He even went out of his way to take us on personal walk throughs at some locations so we really got to experience the vibe and feel of the town and its people. This was truly impressive and heartwarming, we are happy that he is part of the team and highly recommend his services for any tour! Overall the experience was breathtaking. We got to see a side of Ecuador, its people, its food, its glory like never before. The overall drive is long but we made the best of it. The vehicle used was a perfect size for us and our bags. The highlights are too many to name, but our favorite stops on this tour include Quito MITAD DEL MUNDO, Banos with HIKING, ZIPLINING, and the FALLS, and Cuenca OVERALL as a city is amazing with so much to see. If we could do it over again we would focus on specific towns and make the most out of it (like BANOS and CUENCA truly deserve at least 2 days/nights on their own). Thank you team KimKim for your hospitality and hard work. We highly and proudly recommend KimKim for an unforgettable adventure in Ecuador. Thanks team KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

Even though we had the entire hotel to ourselves, this is TRULY a hidden gem in the countryside. Beautiful location, rooms, service. Wish we could have spent more time here to enjoy the scenery and the farm!

Authenticity & Character

Old school vibe and amazing interior decorating!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exe Galería Man-Ging

Guayaquil

Great LOCATION in the city of Guayaquil, walking distance to anything you may need, Taxis and Ubers are easy to get any time of the day or night, and security and parking are great too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Cute start to our trip, location is perfect walking distance to PLAZA FOCH and plenty of restaurants. Taxis and Ubers are easy to get any time of day/night, and late night food options within walking distance as well! ONLY complaint is we had the room on the top floor and no elevator, but they are working on getting one soon (we were told). Staff was great too. Breakfast next door also very good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

QUITO is a city that deserves more recognition, one can easily spend a week here and still not see enough. MITAD DEL MUNDO is a must for anyone coming here. I have gone twice now and will still go back again and again because it is a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

CENTRO HISTORICO is all you need to know, restaurants are plentiful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

CHRISTIAN is an excellent guide

Transport

Baños to Guamote, through the Mighty Chimborazo

Guamote

Not sure if BANOS has its own tour, but this place is absolutely PHENOMENAL and offers SO MUCH to see and enjoy. If you are an adventurer type and love EXTREME SPORTS, this is the place for you. I would recommend 3 or more days to stay and enjoy all the fun stuff there, the choices are insane from ziplining to bungee jumping, ATVs and Pools, hiking, you think of it they have it! I am looking forward to going back and focusing here for a few days to get my fill.

Quality of Experience

Food

THE CHOICES ARE ENDLESS, take your pick!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The local guides were incredible, especially Christian in Quito and Edwin in Galapagos. All the guides were knowledgeable and personable. Marina was also great on our hike to Cotopaxi base camp. That and Galapagos were the highlights for us. One disappointment was that I was told the hotels had fitness centers, but they did not. Very interesting and fun trip - I got to see and experience everything that I wanted to at a reasonable price.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great breakfast buffet, perfect location, nice gym

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect right at the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Great location, could walk everywhere

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Very nice hotel. 50 min walk to old town. 5 min walk to restaurants but did not feel safe so took a cab. Good breakfast. Nice location on the water. No gym.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Loved the equator museum, the cooking class and the beautiful churches.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christian has a great personality, is knowledgeable and has much enthusiasm for his country. It was clear that he enjoyed his job and sharing his knowledge.

Transport

Discover Otavalo and Cuicocha Lake: A Day Trip from Quito

Quito

Loved the market, which had very interesting things at good prices. The lake was gorgeous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park -Quito (Private)

Ecuador

Highlight of the trip - really fun. Loved signing the flag. The bad weather - cold and snowy- added to the adventure. Fantastic hot chocolate at base camp.

Quality of Experience

Food

Best hot chocolate ever!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christian and Marina are excellent, enthusiastic and fun guides! They made it fun for us.

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Stephan was knowledgeable and thorough- learned a lot and the turtles were interesting to see.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

We absolutely loved this day. We saw the frigates , blue-footed boobies, and the sea lions. We also snorkeled and had a great lunch on the boat. We saw so much and had plenty of time in each place without ever feeling rushed. Edwin was fantastic- he is knowledgeable and personable, fun to be around and took great care of us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Lots of moving parts but all handled very efficiently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time in Ecuador and the plan Alvaro put together for either side of our visit to the Galápagos Islands was just perfect!

All of our accommodation was excellent and we had great variety every day. We felt we had a very nice balance of culture and nature and although we had a busy itinerary, we never felt at all rushed.

The “icing on the cake” for us was our guide Marco Herrera. He was so kind and considerate of our needs. He was knowledgeable but never made us feel overwhelmed with facts and figures. He didn’t rush us at all, and made sure we had as much time as we needed for taking photos and “mooching about” at our leisure.

Jeferson from the Tour Company called to meet us at our hotel in Quito and he was regularly in touch throughout our stay in Ecuador, making sure we were enjoying ourselves.

We would highly recommend Ecuador to everyone and feel it’s a shame that so many tourists only visit to see the Galápagos Islands. This is most definitely the highlight of the country, but there is SO much more to experience and we are really pleased we decided to spend over 3 weeks here in total.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Las Plazas

Quito

What a gem this family run hotel is! Lucia is an absolute lady and all the staff did their utmost to make our stay perfect. The rooms were great and we slept very well thanks to the lovely mattresses, soft cotton sheets and comfortable pillows. Breakfast was a treat with fresh varied juices and fruits and eggs cooked to order. The location couldn’t be better. Just a few minutes walk from one of the delightful town squares. We will most definitely recommend this hotel to our friends.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Carvallo

Cuenca

Gorgeous old hotel with great character. Our room was stunning! It’s perfectly located close to the old centre of Cuenca and breakfast was very good. I would suggest asking for a room that doesn’t overlook the main street as we found it noisy at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iguanazú Bed & Breakfast

Guayaquil

Wonderful old style hotel outside the centre of Guayaquil. We had a huge suite and we felt like a Honeymoon Couple! Food was lovely and the staff were very kind. It was so peaceful up on the hill and we slept really well. We would definitely recommend this hotel over those in the busy Malecon area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

The hot spring pools were wonderful. Rooms were so comfortable and nicely decorated. Food was excellent and staff were all very friendly. Would definitely live to return here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coffee lodge Cristal Glamping & Spa

Mindo

Very pleasant stay here for our 1 night in Mindo. It’s such a great place to “get away from it all”! Having dinner and breakfast on the balcony overlooking the treetops was wonderful. Staff were very kind and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Very comfortable room and we found the food to be outstanding! Staff were so kind and welcoming and the location was magical!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spa Casa Real

Riobamba

Lovely hotel. Very quiet and our room was huge! Staff were friendly and helpful and the meals were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

This was such a luxurious hotel and the grounds were incredible! Our room was beautiful and we loved our food at dinner and breakfast. Definitely a 10 out of 10!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Otavalo Market - Cuicocha Lagoon

Ecuador

Nice hike around the lake and it was pleasant to amble around the market for a while.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring San Pablo Lagoon & Encounter the Andean Condor at Parque Condor

Otavalo

Cóndor Park was very good. We were amazed at the variety of birds!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alpaca Encounter at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Unfortunately the weather wasn’t in our favour the day we visited. We didn’t see any Alpacas, but the fog was so heavy we could hardly see our hand in front of our faces! The drive (until we hit the fog) was pleasant however and we had a lovely lunch in one of the small restaurants near to the lagoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Adventure Continues - Hiking Day at Cotopaxi National Park- Overnight at a Hacienda.

Ecuador

We had glimpses of Cotapaxi summit (and when we did see it, it was beautiful! The National Park was beautiful though and there’s lots to enjoy even if you don’t see the volcano that clearly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve

Riobamba

Again we had very poor visability the day we were to see Chimborazo peak. We asked the guide to turn back 10 minutes after we hit the dense fog (about 20 minutes before the summit) and instead we enjoyed the lower area close to Riobamba.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Cuenca and surroundings, Gualaceo, Chordeleg

Cuenca

We loved Cuenca! Very traditional and very walkable around the old centre. This was one of our favourite places in Ecuador.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the Highlands to the Coast: Cajas National Park to Guayaquil

Ecuador

Enjoyable scenery but I was a bit underwhelmed to be honest! The photo stop at the top was good but I think perhaps I expected more from the National Park area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Pearl of the Pacific: Highlight Sites of the City of Guayaquil

Guayaquil

We enjoyed our time exploring Guayaquil. The Santa Ana area was lovely and we enjoyed the walk along the Malacon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Guayaquil's Local Wildlife at Parque Histórico

Guayaquil

Really enjoyed seeing the Iguanas in the park! Especially nice to see the babies who were only a couple of months old!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Back to Quito

Ecuador

Wonderful time exploring the historic centre of Quito. We loved all the Churches and the big squares with the fabulous architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Very enjoyable day. We loved the cultural aspect of it and the food at lunch was super!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mindo Cloud Forest

Ecuador

Highlight of our trip on Mainland Ecuador. The birds were just amazing. We saw several species of Toucans and the experience with the humming birds was phenomenal!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport