Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

Matias was amazing. Quick responses, answered all the questions we had, most before we thought to ask them. The partners he worked with were on time, friendly, and knowledgeable. The hotels we were set up in were all great, from hot tubs heated by volcanos to having breakfast with a troop of monkeys, it was places that were unique, clean and friendly. I would send anyone I know to Ecuador and I will give them Matias' contact information to make their trip as special as he made ours.

Daniel was amazing!! He was always available if we needed him! It was very reassuring. We had a phenomenal time in the Galápagos AND Daniel was able to plan the trip within our budget after we discussed details. I would highly recommend Daniel and if we decide to go to the Galápagos again, I will reach out to him in the future!

Isabel Fernandez worked so hard to make our trip to Ecuador so memorable. Every part of the trip was smooth. No hassles in terms of pick ups and transportation. Our guide, Christian was fantastic. We told Isabel what we loved to do as travellers (hiking, nature, etc.) and she worked with us to plan a perfect vacation. She made great suggestions and we worked together to make our Ecuadorian experience so memorable. Rich and Melissa

I have never used a travel agency to plan a vacation before, so initially, I was a little nervous. However, it turned out to be a fantastic experience from the beginning to the end. Edwin helped me plan my trip and was very responsive and flexible. He was easy to communicate with friendly and professional. While the booking and planning part when well, I still wasn't sure how it would be when I got there. Waiting for me at the airport was my pickup and local guide, Dario. Dario was extremely professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and you can tell that he loves his job as a guide. I felt at ease with him at all times and wasn't afraid to ask if I needed anything. All the transfers happened very smoothly, and I have no idea how I would have planned such activities alone or how I would have gotten to any of the places I did. Getting to Yacuma EcoLodge was a little complicated, so having someone to take care of each step was so helpful. It allowed me to relax and be on vacation! I stayed for a week at Yacuma EcoLodge and experienced a lot of great activities in the rainforest. My one comment is that if you want to see a lot of animals, Yacuma EcoLodge might not be the place to stay. However, if you are interested in just being in the rainforest, plants, nature, you will love it. I enjoyed every second of the experience despite not seeing a lot of animals. After spending a week at Yacuma Ecolodge, I transferred to Galapagos islands, where I met other guides - Enrique and several others that assisted me and made sure that everything went smoothly. In Santa Cruz, I also had several planned activities, including snorkeling (which I was I had more time planned for) in which I saw sea lions, sea turtles, and all sorts of fish. In Isabela, my guide Pablo was great. He was very entertaining, professional, and very interesting to talk to. I did many exciting activities there as well. Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and I am 100% sure I did more and saw more than I ever could have seen had I planned the trip myself. Each day someone from the operations department would call me to check in and see how my day went and if I had any problems or concerns. There was one night, I had a bit of an issue at one of the hotels. They were very responsive and took my concerns very seriously. To sum up, EcoAndes was a very organized and professional company. My brother and I are thinking about a trip to Peru in December, and I will be using EcoAndes for future travel planning in all the countries that they serve.

We have so much to share regarding the start to finish adventure that Isabel planned for us. I know she was there in the background managing every leg of the trip and I only wish we could have thanked her in person. Planning with Isabel was easy with 2 way back and forth communication. She listened to what we wanted and delivered completely with perfect guides, transportation, top notch hotels and tours. This was the first time we have used a travel service such as Kimkim and it made the trip so easy with everything coordinated and booked for us. Special mention goes to David Carrion, who met us at Quito airport and became our friend and guide for the next several days. He was professional and knowledgable about his home country and city with many excellent suggestions. Thank you Isabel for suggesting cooking class and market tour with Chef Edwin of Altamira Restaurant which was one of our highlights. Second guide, Marco Herrera took over for the next leg to take us on a beautiful tour of Cotopaxi and Banos. He took very good care of us and was excellent driver through 2 torrential downpours and travel company for my chatty husband. We absolutely fell in love with Hotel Luna Volcan and wish we had booked for 2 nights. The trip then moved to Amazon and Napo Wildlife Centre. I think Isabel picked the best ecolodge in the area and would recommend this one over all others. Three days of exploring the jungle and river with our guide, Juan was perfect. We then switched gears to travel to Galapagos. We were happy Isabel suggested staying on land using boat tours to uninhabited islands during the day. Huge shout out to Isabella Island hotel, Iguana Crossing which was the nicest hotel on the island. We enjoyed exceptional service and upgraded accommodation. Again we wish we had a second night to enjoy this beach paradise. Another mention needs to be given for honest island residents. My husband dropped his passport by accident when we were out for dinner. By the next morning, there was a tourist news feed broadcasting a picture of his passport and asking where he was staying so it could be returned. Not really the way to become famous but we sure appreciated all the care and concern. Our tour guide, Julio and his lovely young daughter, Mia were absolutely fantastic and took us on a couple of amazing tours. Then we taxi boated back to Santa Cruz for 3 night and again had a lovely oasis hotel, Ikala Hotel close but away from the hustle and bustle. 2 boat snorkelling and island hikes were similar in structure but gave us a wider perspective of different species on each island. We sadly had to say goodbye to Galapagos and fly back to Quito. Tour ended with David meeting us and a very special and private tour of a rose farm close to the airport. What a treat that was! The last hotel Isabel chose was EB Hotel close to the airport for an early morning flight. They even offered to pack us brown bag breakfasts because buffet was not open that early. It was a quiet and lovely way to end a very busy and exciting tour. When I say this was a trip of our lifetime, I am not exaggerating. Thank you Isabel for all your background planning and coordination! I am not exaggerating when I say this is the lady to talk to for your Ecuadorean tour!

Lots of pre-planning emails with Isabel resulted in a beautiful trip. Two little glitches along our 3-week mainland trip were resolved very quickly. Our guide/driver Marco was knowledgeable , and when we asked for a deviation, he knew if it was do-able. Wonderful stays at Les terrazzas de Dana in Mindo (recommend Chocolate massage), Hacienda Porvenir(beautiful, peaceful lounge and hiking outside your door.) Thursday market at Sasqisili was fun.

We were two teenager families traveling in mainland Ecuador for the first time. Stayed 6 days in Quito area with visits to Mindo, Cotopaxi and Quilotoa. Our guide Marcelo was perfect match with his deep knowledge of biology and earth sciences, as well as being very flexible and service minded. Highly recommended!

Highlights（）
1. Galapagos
2. jungle
3. cuenca
4. scenery while driving
5. The Old Towne Hotel in Quito was very nice and the owner was great to assist with any questions, needs and went above and beyond to make our stay memorable

Negatives （in no particular order）
1. No electricity or air conditioning in jungle
2. The driver from Quito to spoke no English
3. The hotel in Alausi was very bad.
4. The return schedule from the jungle to the airport quite poorly calculated and created unnecessary stress with us nearly missing our flight

We had an amazing experience using Kimkim for the first time.
Our booking agent Gabor was extremely helpful, responsive and had some great recommendations for us. When we had to change our travel arrangements due to disruption in the country he was able to accommodate our additional requirements as well.
Our first guide Roko was fantastic- from the moment he collected us at the airport until 8 days later when he dropped us off at Cuenca airport. Roko made every effort to ensure we had a fantastic time , getting to know us and what we enjoyed in travelling. His car was always clean and tidy and he ensured we knew how to get hold of him every evening in case we needed something. Roko has a great sense of humour , a great driver and really knowledgeable about the country and people.We had a fabulous time travelling wit him! Our second guide Dario did his job but was not as engaging and the same level of care and attention to detail was not there and even when we were hiking was on his mobile phone alot- maybe an age thing!. We still had an enjoyable time as Ecuador is such a beautiful country but wasn't as great as the days we spent with Roko. Ecuador is an amazing country with great scenery, food and people. Thank you we had an wonderful trip with a lifetime of memories. Thank Gabor and thank you Roko !!!

All transport and drivers felt safe and was punctual. Our guide to mindo (Marcelo Chavez) was maybe one of the best guides we have experienced. He really payd attention to the groups needs and gave good and pedagogical information. He was truly professional, positive and service minded. Hotel in mindo (Dragonfly) and Cotopaxi was memorable. All activities was good.

Thanks to Iveth for organizing a wonderful 13-day trip and to Cristian for making it special. Cristian was very personable and was knowledgeable about local history and customs. He also made great adjustments to our itinerary when appropriate. Iveth stepped up and visited when one of us did not feel well for a couple of days.
Highlights included horseback riding at Cotapaxi; Rose Success rose plantation; Hacienda Las Cuevas (a lovely place to stay carved out of the rock); Casa Gangotena Hotel on an historic square in Quito (great rooms, lovely food, and craft cocktails); the weaving demonstration and people at Peguche Wasi; and our days at Napo Wildlife Center in the Amazon basin. The people were great everywhere we stayed. Cristian’s suggestions for local lunch stops were wonderful and we enjoyed our time with him. We also thought the Cultura Manor Hotel was a nice introduction to the ambience of Quito. We particularly enjoyed our leisurely lunch at La Plaza Restaurant in the Hotel Mama Cuchara (which is by ArtHotels who also have locations in Otavalo and Cuenca). It has a great rooftop bar with views of the historic center and of the Virgin Mary statue on the Mirador de Panecillo. The bar was tended by Juan Pedro who crafted his own cocktails and had virgin versions for the kids.
Being in Ecuador at New Year’s was a treat. In many places, we saw groups of men and even kids clumsily dressed as women who sang and danced amusingly in front of our car. For a couple of coins, we could pass through. Some of them kept us laughing. Cristian explained the tradition and even confessed to having done the same as a young man. The atmosphere for our NYE dinner in the monastery at Hacienda Cusin was wonderful as were the folk dancers would performed in the garden. Although, the rooms there were very tired, the service was great and we loved getting the hot water bottles as part of the turn-down service. And yes, we did find the secret stair in the monastery.
The Amazon was a fabulous part of the trip. The lodge was very well done, the excursions were well planned, and the service was very nice. We saw three species of monkeys, macaws, parrots, a toucan, a young and a full-grown anaconda, caimans, giant river otters, tarantulas, and many other beautiful birds. Our canoe crews were excellent. The visit to the village was a bit touristy but we danced their dance and bought a few hand-made things from their shop.
Our transfers with Alejandro upon our arrival and the day of our departure were excellent. He was flexible and helpful in making our last day in Quito a great day. We had 10 hours between our arrival from the Amazon and the time we needed to return to the airport. So, we went on our own unplanned excursions. We spent two hours at the home and museum of Ecuador’s famous artist, Oswaldo Guayasamín. This is an absolute must and we highly recommend going there. We then went to the historic Quito area where we came across numerous street performers and an entertaining parade. Alejandro held onto our luggage while we toured. So, it really helped make it a great day.
We do have a few suggestions noting that some of the drives were tiresome and it was cramped being in a small SUV. Skip the Thermae at Papallacta. The cabin was fun, the treatments were fine, and the hike was nice, but the hot springs were filled with locals who stand in line to get in. The place lost its charm with so many people there so it was not worth the drive. White water rafting would have been more fun.
The little village at the middle of the earth was very touristy. The egg demonstration, walking the line, and the water draining demonstration, were all pretty hokey. The monument next door was fine and the relief map in the French pavilion was helpful. The nearby Le Crater Restaurant was fogged in so we did not have a view but even so, the service and the food were disappointing. We do recommend a stop at the Quitsato equator. Their explanations and materials were very well done and it was good that Cristian had us stop there.
In Napo we would have preferred to have one of their naturalists (which is usually included) instead of hiring and paying for our own directly which was apparently due to holiday scheduling difficulties. Pedro was not very engaging, even at meals. He could have made it more fun for us and our teens. Our indigenous community guide Jorge was good at spotting animals and we even heard Pedro asking Jorge for information about the animals. We still enjoying Napo and would recommend it.
We had a great trip to the Galapagos prior to having kids and would have worked that it if we had more time.

Had a great time in Ecuador. Kimkim team - especially Iveth - was very helpful and went out of their way to make sure that we had a good trip. Thank you!

Our trip to Ecuador was wonderful. I feel we experienced as much as we could in our 7 day adventure. Iveth was lovely and I found it very special that she met us at the airport and joined us on the trip to Huasquila Lodge in the Amazon rainforest. I enjoyed her insight, information into our travels and advice when we were on own.. It was such a pleasure to have Marcelo drive us. I learned alot from him, enjoyed his knowledge, he was patient with our lack of spanish, its was fun to hear of his family, and very thankful for our late night drives and that he gave up so much of Christmas holiday to be with us. Christian who was our driver from the rainforest to Banos taking in so many sites and waterfalls, he was so kind as he helped me to navigate the trails to waterfalls ( I have to admit I was not prepared for terrain) and taking video and pictures of our adventures. I so enjoyed his company and learning of his big family, traditions, and his recommendations for Banos, we did take his advice on eating Guinea pig (Cuy).
It was memorable and so fun to spend time with my son Denver, he tries to keep me young and challenge of my comfort zone. You all helped with that.
Iveth, Marcelo, and Christian will remain in my heart with a SMILE.
Thanks so much,
Ann Collins

Was surprised that the whole tour right from kimkim is 100% outsourced to someone else with no accountability to customer experience. Found out the operator is a freelance for a tour operator to kimkim. All the time, whole tour operator was focused to fulfill his obligation with zero flexibility. Their non availability during weekends made it worse. Since this is my first tour experience thru kimkim and having always leveraged TripAdvisor and Viator, most of my trip could have been achieved at my pace and 60% lower cost by directly working with Viator. Most of my trips could have been day trips as I found out as we are only few hours from the main city and could have covered more locations.

We had nice vacation in Ecuador and Galapagos Islands - it was one of our best vacation. All transfers and accuracy were excellent. Majority of tours were superb - the best guide was Veronica, the first tour after arrival to Santa Cruz - Turtles Farm and Darvin Station. The last one on the Islands - Bay Tour was ok: tour guide had limited English (basically few major sentences), also it was a similar one we had already on the islands earlier.
Once again, thank you so much for organizing one of the best our vacation, we enjoyed it a lot. We are already thinking to visit more countries in Latin America.
All the best Yelena and Roman

Every aspect of our trip was well choreographed. Isabel did a great job making sure things moved along seamlessly. Our cruise on the Coral 1 in the Galapagos was wonderful. The staff was very professional, knowledgeable and kind. The snorkeling was fabulous. We then went to the rainforest. What an experience- one extreme to another. We enjoyed our canoe trips and jungle walks immensely. One thing I would strongly recommend is flying in and out of the amazon instead of driving. That was not at all fun. In all, my family as I were very pleased with our trip!

Our trip to Ecuador was incredible and surpassed all expectations! Iveth put together the perfect trip based upon on interests and budget. She was extremely communicative in the months and weeks leading up to our trip, and was in regular contact with us and our guides throughout our trip. Thanks to Iveth we were able to see and learn about so many different parts of the country. We spent 18 days traveling through mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We spent half of our trip journeying through the highlands, the Amazon rainforest, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, and Quito; the second half we spend in the Galapagos Islands. She arranged for us to have a private guide/driver while on the mainland - Christian. He was one of the best guides we've ever had, in any country! He was kind, caring and funny. He was so knowledgeable about Ecuador's history, culture, and especially the nature! Thanks to Christian, we feel like experts on Ecuador. His love and passion for his country shined, and it truly made our experience extra special.

Our vacation to Ecuador was unique for a number of reasons, but mostly because Iveth was instrumental in coordinating and executing our marriage proposal. She assisted my fiance with planning every detail of his proposal, including ensuring that eleven 'love notes' were received by eleven different hotels. The proposal took place overlooking the spectacular Lake Quilotoa, and it will be one of our most cherished memories. She also assisted my fiance with planning a very special hotel stay at the beautiful and romantic Hotel Rumiloma. Iveth was always there for us; we had some issues with our airline tickets and she was immediately available to assist. When we both felt sick one day in Quito, she came to our hotel first thing in the morning with Pediasure and medicine. She was extremely attentive to all of our needs, and she went above and beyond to make sure our time in Ecuador was well spent. She is extremely organized and we never had to worry about our itinerary, pick ups, transfers, etc. Her positive energy and love for her country radiates, and we could not have imagined this trip without her playing a part in it. I plan to tell all my friends and family to work with Iveth when planning their Ecuador trips, and we will certainly work with her again on our next visit to the wonderful Ecuador!

Had a great time (10 days) at various location along the Andean highlands in Ecuador with our guide, Cristian, organised by Iveth. What a gorgeous, scenic country and friendly people!!
Iveth took to time to tailor the itinerary to hit all the places we selected. And even helped us out with a couple of issues along the way. Cristian was with us the whole trip and his assistance was exemplary and invaluable. He was willing to accommodate changes, make suggestions and was not stuck to a set checklist. His input about local customs, traditions, etc., added to experience.
In retrospect, I would've liked to have had two days in Quito and vicinity and skipped Guayaquil; and definitely would've added a couple of visits to the museums to learn about pre-Inca settlements/history.
Will come back again to visit Yasuni and Galapagos the next time. Thank you, Iveth and Cristian, for making it a memorable trip.

Our 5-day adventure to Ecuador was terrific. Highlights: historic Quito, Cotapaxi, Banos, the avenue of waterfalls, the eco-lodge in Tena and rafting! Everything made easy on the booking end by Linda and on the ground by guide extraordinaire, Marco.

My mother and I really felt like we were being looked after and had a great experience from start to finish in Ecuador.

Marcelo and Iveth greeted us at the airport on our first day and went the extra mile to make sure we felt welcomed.

A real highlight of the trip was the two nights we spend at the Amazon lodge-- the staff there, including Sabino, our guide, were incredible. It made for a great adventure.

Then, we were again put into good hands with Chrisitian, our guide through the Waterfalls route.

Overall, the trip was unforgettable and Iveth and company made it really easy on us.