Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

I typically create our itineraries and was not sure how it would be using an agency. Booking our trip to Ecuador with Kimkim was a breeze because the communication was clear and timely. Pilar took into account our needs and desire when creating the itinerary. All plans were thoughtful and executed well. Thanks to Pilar, we saw and experienced so much in the time we had in Ecuador.

Hotel Review

Kuyana Amazon Lodge

Archidona

Ivan and Lou have created a wonderful space in which to experience the rainforest. Their staff is hospitable, responsive and caring. Leo, our guide for all our adventures was phenomenal. As a vegetarian, I was blown away by the preparation and p\resentation of the meals.

Authenticity & Character

The space was designed to integrate with its natural surroundings and not to dominate it. You can appreciate the respect for the rainforest.

Location

It was accessible (as opposed to the other lodge we considered which required a flight into the jungle)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kuyana Lodge Day 1- Arrival Day

Archidona

it was so creative - the guests were asked to put on a little holiday show for the other guests. wealso decorated xmas cookies before feasting on an incredible meal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 2 Kuyana Lodge

Archidona

trek ino the jungle to a 2 tier waterfall and lagoon where we could swim

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were two families with teenagers traveling together from different parts of the USA, so lots of logistics. Pilar Albuja helped plan our itinerary. She was very responsive in drafting it, answering questions and finalizing our plan. We had a really nice mix of locations and activities. At the Amazon, we stayed at Kuyana Lodge which was a wonderful experience. With only 7 jungle huts, it is a really intimate experience. Our guide, Leo, was helpful, full of information and easy to get along with -- which was a good thing because we were with him a lot! The food at the lodge is so amazing. We had several vegetarian and other dietary and allergy restrictions and the lodge was able to accommodate everything and were especially careful with the allergy. Chef prepared the best food, we wanted to bring him home and make him our personal chef! He used many local ingredients from the Amazon and we enjoyed some incredibly tasty meals. The food was also presented really well - felt like Michelin star dining! All the activities were interesting, hikes, night hikes, river tubing or simply listening to the sounds of the jungle in one of the many seating areas around the lodge.
In Quito, we had a guide named Nancy for visits to Quito, Middle of the World, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi. Nancy was full of information about history and culture - we learned so much from her. Nancy was energetic, always accommodating to our requests and provided advice when we felt the effects of altitude sickness. She was very friendly and approachable. Our activities were all wonderful including the Quito old town tour, visit to the equator was super cool, the lake at Otavalo and a hike up a volcano near Cotopaxi to get better views. Nancy's insight definitely made for a better experience. We highly recommend kimkim and will definitely use them again in the future!

Hotel Review

Kuyana Amazon Lodge

Archidona

Lodge is in a beautiful area. The guides are knowledgeable and very caring. The Chef is amazing - most delicious meals! And we loved the pet monkey, Ramona. More details in my main review. The only feedback would be to include a boxed lunch on the visit to the Napo River / indigenous people village / tubing day so that we can eat during the lunch hour.

Authenticity & Character

Wood construction, open air buildings ... just felt reallly one with nature.

Location

surrounded by jungle. I loved my jungle hut sitting on the banks of a creek. Spacious room, beautiful bathroom and a wonderful deck!

Staff

Everyone is so knowledgeable, hospitable ... we were pampered!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything . . leave the shoes at the steps is a wonderful requirement!

Activity Reviews

Day 2 Kuyana Lodge

Archidona

Waterfalls were beautiful .. everyone should take a dip! Leo was helpful to us in navigating some tricky areas. We loved that Ramona the monkey came with us!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Quito's Best-Kept Secrets: A Full-Day Tour of the Historic and the Middle of the World

Quito

Loved that our guide took us to the top of the tower at Basilica del Voto Nacional as we had amazing views. The chocolate tasting at Yumbas was so delicious, and so much variety allowed us to get a better understanding of how flavors of cacao vary. Middle of the World science experiments are super cool ... I learned a lot and it was mind blowing to see!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Magic of Otavalo: Immerse Yourself in Indigenous Culture and Vibrant Markets and visit Cuicocha Lake.

Ecuador

The Cotacachi Lake is not to be missed. It is stunning. Our guide had lots of information about local plants. If you have traveled to other countries with crafts markets, Otavalo Market is different in that the items are different, but the market itself is not unique.

Quality of Experience

Food

Beautiful 500 year old hacienda ... and food was good too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Conquer the Majestic Cotopaxi: A Thrilling Full-Day Adventure in the Land of Volcanoes- with horseback riding

Cotopaxi

I loved that our guide suggested a hike to a different volcano that has a viewing point to get better views of Cotopaxi. We hiked around a lake and then up to the viewing point. The lake is more like a marsh than a lake due to human consumption of water and climate change. Not sure the 2 hours were worth it for that portion. The hike up the volcano was difficult for altitude, but breathtaking and we did get some glimpses of Cotopaxi! The horseback riding at El Porvenir was surreal. It is such a gorgeous landscape. Even though it rained a bit, they provided us with ponchos and rain ponchos and we stayed toasty warm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 5 (kids ages 23,20,16) enjoyed the most incredible trip to the Highlands and Galapagos. Tamer patiently listened and tweaked our itinerary, which was a wonderful mix of culture, history, adventure, nature, and recharging. It was perfect!
We spent 4 nights in Quito at the lovely Ikala Hotel. We absolutely loved our guide Danny! He took us to the city center on a bustling Christmas Eve day, joined us for an incredible cooking class where we prepared and ate a delicious Ecuadorian meal, and led us through an exhilarating trek to the magnificent Quilotoa Lake where we kayaked and journeyed back up to the top. We loved experimenting with gravity at the equator and will never forget the many impromptu stops- thanks to Danny!- where we interacted with locals to see a slice of life we’d never before experienced- from farmers to artists to weavers. Our visit to the highlands was perfectly planned and Danny was the ideal guide to lead us.
Next we flew to Santa Cruz for 4 nights at the incredible Hotel
Solymar where iguanas, sea lions, grey pelicans, blue footed boobies, frigate birds, and crabs were mainstays at the beautiful oceanfront restaurant and pool area. Vivian was our fabulous enthusiastic guide to the Darwin Center, giant tortoise preserve, and kayaking in Tortugo Bay. Day trips to Seymour Island on a beautiful sail boat and snorkeling at Le Fe and Pinzon Islands were memorable highlights from this special vacation.
Every step of the way, Alejandra checked in and prepped us for the next morning’s pick up times and itinerary. We never had to worry about timing or where to be. The whole trip we felt like we were in excellent hands.
Thank you Tamer for delivering on your promise of a vacation to remember!!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

We loved the Ikala. The complimentary breakfast buffet was the delicious, as was our dinner at the hotel’s restaurant on Christmas (one of very few restaurants in the area that was open!). Our rooms were beautiful and spacious. The front desk staff was very responsive when we had problems with our safe and the toilet. We highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

The oceanfront location was incredible! Wildlife was abundant and part of the culture of the hotel. The rooms were small but comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Oceanfront views and incredible wildlife

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Alpaca Encounter & Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

It was an exhilarating climb to the base where we kayaked and then trekked slowly back to the top.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ate lunch after we reached the top at a local restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Quito

Visiting the city center on Christmas Eve Day was a real treat. The cooking class was incredible- we loved the chef and plan to try out the dishes we prepped when we return home!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Otavalo and Cuicocha Lake: A Day Trip from Quito

Quito

We especially loved the visit to the local weaver.

Quality of Experience

Food

We enjoyed a delicious lunch in Cotacachi which is a town known for its leather.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

We loved planting a tree! Our terrific guide Vivian planned for us to wear rubber boots since the ground was wet from recent rainfall. She also tweaked our itinerary and moved our visit to the Darwin Center to the following day once she realized we may feel rushed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé

Puerto Ayora

Our whole trip built up to this most incredible snorkeling experience!! We saw tons of gorgeous fish and swam right up to giant sea turtles, sea lions, sharks, and more!

Quality of Experience

Food

Tuna lunch on board hit the spot!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jaime was a fun leader!

Transport

Kayaking Tortuga Bay - Afternoon at leisure

Galapagos Islands

What a beautiful place!! The perfect entry to seeing wildlife up close.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

The boat was absolutely beautful, and the visit to Seymour Island was so cool. We saw different frigate birds and blue footed boobies and iguanas and learned about- and saw firsthand- their mating patterns.

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious tuna lunch and snacks on board.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elizabeth our guide was outstanding. It was my first time deep water snorkeling and she helped me get acclimated to the breathing tube and helped me enjoy the experience.

Transport

Beautiful sailboat

Amanda and I had a wonderful time in Ecuador, and the ease of having KimKim support the planning was super helpful.

Our guide Milton in Quito was incredible and so wonderfully kind and supportive. The experiences that were planned for us were amazing.

Amanda had a heavy workload on the trip and both Milton and Mathias were incredibly flexible when we needed them to be.

The two things that could have gone better were our trip to the Amazon. The lodgings had no Wifi when we had expressed that Amanada had very important work to do. In retrospect, it would have been better to do a day trip to the cloud forest and then return to Quito.

The second thing was our trip back- which in total involved over 24 hours of travel. It would have worked much better for us to spend one addtional night in Quito to break up the trip.

Further detaisl and information ahead of time would have helped us to plan through these issues.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience and KimKim (especially Milton) really helpd to improve and support the trip!

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Vieja Cuba were so supportive and helpful during our stay and we loved the area it was in! The room was small but wound up working out very well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakuna Matata Lodge

Archidona

While we asked for 3 star hotels and the food and support was great, it did not have adaquate Wi-Fi and the room was scarily stark and basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plaza Luna Suites

Puerto Ayora

It was wonderful and huge and in an amazing location! Just fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Birdwatching & Hot Springs

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Ecuador

Travel took a long time and was stressful. We were told there would be an ATM easily accessible on the airpot to get money to pay the $100 entrance fee but it was not easy to access. The airport did not have Wifi, The plane also made a stop which we were not expecting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

Bartholomay island was truly an unforgettable experience, The guide Phillipe was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jungle Hike

Ecuador

We wound up doing it at night because of our travel which was scary. The guide William was lovely but we should not have done a night hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Cotopaxi National Park

Quito

It was wonderful! The visitor center and lunch was delicious. It was among other most favorite days of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Archidona & free time at the rainforest lodge

Ecuador

The bridge was closed and we had a long wait time. When we arrived, we had to travel on a motor bike with strangers. The lodge only had wifi in the restaurant. It did not meet our needs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Session

Ecuador

Was wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to another uninhabited island

Ecuador

North Seymour Island was ok, but it as extremely hot and the guide moved very slowly through repetitive information. The scuba diving was a bit challenging.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour

Ecuador

Fantastic. Milton was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Absolutely unreal experience. Daniel was the best planner I used by far for Kimkim. He was so nice, attentive and thorough. I told him what kind of experience I was looking for and he nailed it. He did such a great job of checking in throughout the trip and was always available every step of the way. Highly recommend using him to help plan your trip!!!

Had an amazing time in Ecuador and visiting the Galapagos. Alvaro planned an amazing itinerary for us, and we had a great balance of activities and rest.

Fantastic trip to Ecuador. We hadn't heard of KimKim before, but the sample itineraries looked cool and so we inquired. Mathias of Authentic Ecuador responded right away and we evolved an itinerary that covered the major areas of Amazon, Andes, and Galapagos in 15 days. Going with 2 kids, there were a few long travel days, but the itinerary spaced those out with other more-relaxed days. Mathias was great, always responsive and tailoring everything to what we wanted. We preferred accommodation that had "character" and he got us a cool boutique hotel in Quito, a remote Amazon lodge, and a lodge with panoramic windows on a volcano. (Though he of course couldn't control the weather which was cloudy that day).

Local guides and drivers were great. Especially Mishell in Quito & mainland -- very organized and thorough. And Daniela in Galapagos -- very knowledgeable local naturalist with lots of energy. Only hiccup was a date-switch on which island we were doing on a day-trip boat excursion. But not their fault -- boat operator changed the dates with only one day notice and we didn't have cell phones that worked to be contacted. They did send a private driver to get us to the correct place, albeit late.

Overall, very pleased with our trip and experience. Prices were mostly in line with what I had researched, maybe a bit on the high side, but tradeoff is the customization and responsiveness which was top-notch.

Two thumbs up!

Activity Reviews

Hot Springs of Papallacta

Ecuador

Visited Termas de Papallacta for a few hours. Beautiful location, variety of pools and temperatures. Not crowded when we went. Wish we could have stayed longer!

Quality of Experience

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

Ecuador

Our guide Daniela was great, told us a lot about the ecosystem and history of the island. Visited Tortoise Refuge and it was amazing to see these giant animals just wandering around. Darwin research center was interesting, especially the baby turtles.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tamer was really helpful, especially when we had last minute changes on our trip. We appreciated the hospitality and assistance he provided. He is very knowledgeable and accommodating.

The hotels we stayed at were all very lovely. I especially enjoyed the hotel in Cotopaxi and in Quito.

We had a handful of guides. Danny was very eager and wanted to give us the best experience. Viví was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing the Galapagos with us.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Very clean, breakfast was a delicious continental spread. We had the option for to go breakfast as well and the hotel was accommodating when we didn’t want a sandwich for breakfast. Rooms were very clean. No AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Great food and ambiance. It rained in the evening and we had a lovely lounge room to play board games or watch TV. The room was cozy with its own fireplace. Lots of options for things to do at the resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

Great location in town, breakfast was yummy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Helpful staff and service! Very accommodating and beautiful rooms with great AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Puerto Ayora

Tortoises were very cool to see. The lunch was delicious. The Darwin center wasn’t terribly busy and cool to see baby tortoises and the work that the company is doing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

We had a modified day to snorkel instead. The snorkeling was alright mainly because it was cloudy and a bit cold. The guide was helpful and interactive with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Cool to see the cloud forest and hike. Waterfalls were cool to see. Cable car was slightly terrifying but worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Beautiful to see when there aren’t a bunch of clouds. Lunch isn’t really an option during their excursion so it would be nice to have a snack or to go lunch option. Lots of hiking options

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Beautiful area to see, lots of hiking and photo opportunities. Cute town to visit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

Walked around town and waited to go to the airport.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned from a wonderful 3-week trip in Ecuador that included Quito, Amazon jungle, touring down the Andes to Cuenca, and Galapagos cruise. Our travel agent Alvaro did an excellent job helping us plan our trip - he was very knowledgeable, patient, and kind. All our guides were excellent, special shout-out to Christian, Sergio (aka Mike Tyson), and Pablo. Our favorite experiences were the Napo Cultural Center in the Amazon, biking/hiking at the Cotopaxi and Chimborazo volcanoes, and cruising the Galapagos.

We recently spent 15 days in Ecuador, our son's country of birth. Tamar went to great lengths to insure that this was an extraordinary experience for our family. We met with Tamar on numerous occasions. He approached each call with enthusiasm and many helpful and informed ideas. Our trip began with 5 magnificent days in the Galapagos, followed by a number of exciting adventures on the mainland. Tamar's attention to detail and love of Ecuador made this a trip we'll always remember. We highly recommend Tamar as a tour consultant and look forward to working with him again.

Cristobal was our main guide for our time on mainland Ecuador and he was exceptional; friendly, informative, and thorough. We had a series of help on the Galapagos including Paola, Liz, and the proprietor of our incredible Hotel, Jessica. All of them were wonderful as well.
We shot ourselves in the foot a bit by booking such a short trip and trying to mix evening celebrations with early morning excursions, but we left feeling we had made the most of our time in Ecuador.
Isabel was manning the control decks and absolutely nailed it. We had exceptional guides for every step of our journey and she made sure all of our shuttling throughout Ecuador was adequately chaperoned.
Would emphatically recommend Isabel, Cristobal, and the whole team--but would also encourage anyone using KimKim to book a longer trip than you think you'll need to allow for some R&R (we booked 8 days to hit Quito, Baños, and the Galapagos).

Linda organised a great trip to the Galápagos and Quito.. We went back and forth in what would suit us best. Linda was very patient throughout the process and didn’t hesitate to call to discuss queries. It was great that she came to the hotel in Quito to meet us so that we could put a face to the name.
Our guide Sebastian and his father Alexander who picked us up from the airport were fabulous.
They were knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure everyone in our group was catered for. Our thanks to the whole team for a truly great experience and holiday.
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We had a few very positive experiences with a few of the drivers/guides. Wilson was excellent. He had strong english and was very patient with my 90 year old mother. Although the vehicle was not very fancy, it was clean and he provided water. He showed us many beautiful areas around Cuenca and took us to a fabulous restaurant in Saraguro. High praise for Wilson.
We were also very happy with Fransisco, our guide in Quito. He was very helpful and did and excellent job showing us downtown Quito. The dinner with him on Saturday evening was great.

Hotels: Disappointing
All the hotels were chains without charm. It was clear that there were much better options of boutique hotels in downtown walking regions that I could have booked for less money on hotels.com. The AC at the Royal Sonesta did not work and no effort was made to rebook us where we would be more comfortable. None of the hotels were in neighborhoods that we would consider charming nor were the rates very good.

Planning: Very difficult to work with
Costs were very difficult to control as individual costs of activities, transportation, lodging and food was kept from us. We had an idea of individual costs as we cancelled and added things otherwise it was obscured. We had initially asked for help in planning the part of our trip to Santiago Chili. We request a wine tasting excursion and we were presented with Casablanca a white wine region. I commented that I prefer red wine and instead of booking a different excursion in a red wine region (many close to Santiago) the response was that there would be reds available. We cut Alvaro out of the Santiago portion at that point.

Transportation: Again high praise for Francisco and Wilson. However, our driver to the airport in Catamayo airport spoke almost no English except Twenty dollars. We offered to take us to the wind farm on the way to the airport. We said great and then he said $20. I looked up the cost of admission and it was free. He said it would only take 10 minutes for $20. We used google translate to communicate. Alvaro said we needed to get to the airport 2 hours early. This was not true. It is a tiny airpot and it took 3 minutes to get ticketed and go through security. Since we had 2 hours to wait, I payed for the lounge. This should be refunded. Our tickets were for the wrong flight which I was able to fix on my own. We requested two window seats and I was given a middle seat.
I was hoping, Anthony would just fix our tickets but no. I contacted him which was a waste of time. He did not fix the ticket only asked that after I had already fixed the ticket find a gate agent and hand them my phone to speak to them. There was no gate agent available.
We could not download the pdfs of the itinerary on our phone. We asked for text updates via WhatsApp. These were sparse. I did not know there was a driver hired to take us to the airport on Sunday until Anthony texted on Sunday. I responded to cancel and refund. Anthony waited 4 hours to answer and say at that point it was too late.
All in all, we will not use KimKim, Alvaro, or Responsible travel ever again and will not recommend it to anyone. We did love Ecuador and will return using a different travel company.

Thanks to Tamer and the guides he recruited, I had an amazing trip that exceeded my expectations. Tamer really listened to what I wanted, and with very little back-and-forth put together an itinerary that was perfect for me. My guides, David and Sebastian, were very knowledgeable and taught me a lot about Ecuadorian culture, history, as well as flora and fauna. The Napo Wildlife Center is a gem, and was a fantastic experience as well.

Hotel Reviews

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Napo Wildlife Center

Quito

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

The Ikala Quito Hotel was clean, comfortable, and met all my expectations. The service was good, and it had everything I needed, including a hot shower.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Rucu Pichincha Volcano

Quito

This was a fun experience and one of the highlights of my trip. The hike was challenging but very rewarding with stunning views. I felt a sense of accomplishment after completing it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highland Adventure: Exploring Cotopaxi and Return to Quito

Ecuador

Going up to Cotopaxi and getting a clear view of the volcano was impressive. We went past the refuge and got closer to 5000 meters, which was exciting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Napo River Canoeing Excursion

Yasuni National Park

This was a packed three-day itinerary at the Napo Wildlife Center. Despite the heat, we saw some amazing wildlife and had a great time. The guides were fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quilotoa Loop 1st day Quito - Sigchos - Chugchilán

Ecuador

The Quilotoa Loop hike was a memorable experience. It was unique and different. The two days of hiking were the right choice. It was fun and I enjoyed it a lot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall

Baños

Baños was a blast. It was packed with Ecuadorian families celebrating a holiday, adding a festive atmosphere. We visited the waterfall and even crawled through a small opening to get a breathtaking view of the waterfall. Although we didn't visit the hot spring, I enjoyed the town's nightlife and overall festive energy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide Wellington was simply the best! He was very knowledgeable and understood what was important for us. He made our trip feel personalised and took us to places we would have never visited on our own. Also special thanks to Lucia for the perfect planning ahead of the trip. She answered all our questions very quickly. Not to mention Gaby who checked up on us during the trip to make sure everything was going according to plan. A big thank you to the whole team for making our honeymoon unforgetable!
Best regards,
Jasmine and Augustine

Hotel Review

Casa de Piedra

Mindo

The best breakfast we had in our trip by far! The owners are very polite and helpfull. The rooms are clean and are surrounded by very well maintained garden. Would definetly recommand.

Authenticity & Character

You can hear the birds sing in the morning :)

Location

Walking distance to the center of mindo.

Staff

Very helpfull, suggest great activities, restaurants, etc

Cleanliness & Comfort

No hot water in the shower, otherwise perfect.

Activity Review

Laguna San Pablo -Cotacachi - Otavalo

Ecuador

Our stop by Pijal was our favorite activity ! Emmersing ourselves in the indegenous culture where we visited their village, crops, rose garden and were treated to a delicious lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great vehicule and great driving by our guide Wellington

The trip my daughter and I had to Ecuador was wonderful. We spent 4 days on a cruise and saw all the wildlife you would expect but one surprise was penguins. The guides were super knowledgeable and the beaches pristine. One of the highlights in Quito was a cooking lesson with a chef where we made Ecuadorian biche. I will absolutely use Kim Kim again!

Wow! Tamar was such a pleasure to work with. I am so happy to have been matched with him. This trip was a once in a lifetime vacation with my 13 year old daughter. From the moment Tamar and I began discussions about this coming of age trip he immediately began designing an itinerary with my daughter in mind. We spent at least 2-3 hours on the phone with my daughter really planning this trip. The kindness Tamar treated both my daughter and I as we planned and tweaked our itinerary was really special. We were able to do so many amazing things that we honestly would not have been able to accomplish without him. I wish I was a better writer because Tamar was amazing in every way. During the trip he was checking on things often and really going beyond what I expected of him. It is clear Tamar is extremely passionate about his job.

Everything from start to finish on this trip has been outstanding. From the moment we began planning, Mathias was on point with the experience we were looking for. Our hotels were perfect and each segment of our trip was personalized just for us. Our guide Danny was the best and added so much to everything we did. We loved our Galapagos add on and are so glad we included that portion of the trip! Mathias couldn’t have done better tailoring our excursions. We really appreciated how he kept in contact with us throughout the trip to make sure everything was going well and answer any questions we may have had. This was truly an amazing and unique experience and one we will never forget. Thank you Kimkim, Mathias, and Danny for a great vacation!!

Alvaro did good just had a few times where he didn't respond right away but we enjoyed our trip very much we love Ecuador very much

Alvaro helped me and my husband plan our honeymoon trip to Ecuador and it was amazing! Our guides were very kind and knowledgeable. We learned not only about the area and history, but also about current events and daily life. We got to see beautiful mountains, the Amazon, artistic murals, and historical landmarks. The food was delicious and healthy. In the Galapagos we learned about wildlife and had many up close experiences with the animals. We felt very welcomed everywhere we went, and we can’t wait to come back for another adventure in Ecuador!

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

The staff is very kind! The patio/balcony is really cute and the room was cute and cozy.

Authenticity & Character

Cute decorations

Location

Felt safe and is close to many food options

Staff

Everyone was nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Posada del Mar

Santa Cruz

Cute and spacious room. Nice view out the balcony and pretty flowers. The man at the front desk was always very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Loja Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Cute and spacious room! The pool wad nice and the hammocks were comfy. The boy at the front desk was fun to talk to and very kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Mindo was really fun! Francisco was very knowledgeable about the area and was a great guide for this trip. We went ziplining, saw hunmingbirds and butterflies, toured a chocolate place and got lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Cuyabeno was beautiful and we saw so many plants and animals! The guides were nice snd knowledgeable and the food throughout the stay was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the tortoises and lizards she wad telling us about! She was really fun to talk to and took pictures for us. There were so many tortoises when we went and we learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was fun to talk to and very passionate! I loved that she was ready to reinforce the rules of the Galapagos to anyone and protect the area. She clearly loves where she lives and works and she was a really great guide.

Transport