Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

Mathias was excellent, very responsive, even to last minute changes, and met us in person when we checked in! The Alejandros, Jose, Fabian, Dario, Julian, and probably some others i may not remember names, were all wonderful. Ecuador is a beautiful place, not to mention the Galapagoes, WOW. highly recommend it. Never felt unsafe. Accommodations were all excellent. Loved the cooking class. 2 favorites: the Amazon jungle lodge - Aguas Negras( Fabian), and of course the Gallapagoes which was the whole reason we went. Snorkeled with Pengiuns!!! Can't recommend this company enough!! 5+ stars!!

Hotel Reviews

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

This was an amazing restored hotel. staff is great, facilities including restaurant, excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

Love this place, wish we had stayed longer.

Tips for future travelers

plan to stay more than one night!

Authenticity & Character

Location

beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hot springs right outside the room :)

Aguas Negras River Lodge

Lago Agrio

If you want to get away, this is the place. Beautiful. rustic. Animals!!!!!

Tips for future travelers

This is a rustic place. Electriciy is by generator, so have fast chargers. Watch for spiders if you get up in the middle of the night ( they are harmless, but don't want to step on them) Bring a Flashlight or 2.

Authenticity & Character

great way to experience the jungle, without even going hiking if you don't want. I have limited mobility but was able to manage getting in and out of the canoe :)

Location

AMazing! All the noises - cicadas, Birds, and especially the morning wakeup call of the Howler monkeys. Swimming in the river was wonderful, even with high water.

Staff

Can't say enough about Fabian. very knowledgeable , caring, and environmentally conscious.

Cleanliness & Comfort

beds comfortable, netting was good too! Never did have hot water, but lukewarm in this environment was fine )

Activity Review

Cooking Class

Quito

Learned to make the classics, potato soup and fried plantain, for starters. Chef was very nice, it was so fun. Made the soup and salsa first night we came home!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

walking distance of hotel

I cannot give a high enough review for kimkim. Our local specialist Jackeline went above and beyond for us in every way and was always there when we had a question or needed something. Our super adventurous and knowledgeable guide Diego made our whole week so fun, exciting, and educational. Our other guide, Alex, was also amazing and so fun to visit Cotopaxi with. We were truly blessed in the team from kimkim that helped us make this trip the best we have ever had. We cannot wait to return to Ecuador.

This was the most memorable and educational trip of my life. Mathias was very attentive to every question I had. He kept in touch with me. He even checked on my health condition and my husband's injury while we were away. I cannot say enough good things about him.

Our first guide, Sebastian, was a very fun young man to be with. He was polite, attentive, and laughed with us. He was very knowledgeable about the country of Ecuador. He will go far in his career as a guide.

Our guide in the Cuyabena reserve, Fabian, was fun to be with as well. He and the indigenous people of the rainforest were very attentive in our care in a land where we were so isolated. We learned so much about the native people and how they live. When my husband Russell was bitten by a piranha while trying to take it off the hook, Clever, the indigenous young man knew exactly what to do treating his wound with medicine taken from tree bark. He was absolutely amazing in rowing the canoe even at night, and his knowledge of the rainforest.

I love the peace of the rainforest; no traffic sounds, not even an airplane flew over; just the sounds of the wildlife and downpours.

The highlight of the trip was seeing a tapir in the wild and even getting pictures! I am still amazed.

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Very nice little room. Comfortable and safe, especially because it was gated. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because I do not like big cities, but it was necessary the night before our trip home.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Put it in the rainforest! lol. I just do not like city life. It was a fine hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Everything except the rain!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Guango Lodge

Papallacta

Authenticity & Character

Location

The fireplace should have been kept burning since it was so cold. We got cold a lot.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

So many hummingbirds!!!

Kuyana Amazon Lodge

Archidona

This was the most BEAUTIFUL place we stayed. The gardens are breathtaking. Leo is an excellent host. The food was good, and we really enjoyed the cooking school and waterfall hike.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aguas Negras River Lodge

Lago Agrio

Do not stay here if you need modern conveniences. It is a wonderful rainforest home, kind of like camping without the work. It was a wonderful experience for us. Fabian was a great guide and fun to be with. The indigenous staff were wonderful. I wish we could speak their language so we could have interacted more. We learned about how people live in the rainforest. We enjoyed the beauty and wildlife. The highlight was seeing a tapir!!! Not many people are this lucky!

Tips for future travelers

Do not bother with makeup for fixing your hair. If you are picky about food do not stay here. I highly recommend it for the adventurous nature lover. Not a good place for small children.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The rainforest! The breeze off the river when it rained was so nice.

Staff

The indigenous staff was over-the-moon attentive to us. They know jungle survival skills.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing can be improved being deep in the jungle. But the comfort is the best that can be expected without air conditioning and iced drinks. I craved cold drinks but they were room temperature.

Sacha Lodge Yasuní

Quito

This is a luxury jungle motel. You get air conditioning and gourmet food. Our guide Oscar was a walking encyclopedia. He knew every tree, plant, and bird by scientific name. The only thing I was not crazy about was the evening meal. They put more effort into a fancy presentation than in flavor. The lunch meal was the best meal.

Authenticity & Character

The rainforest!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hot Springs of Papallacta

Ecuador

The hot springs felt so good! I liked the hottest one, my husband picked one a level down.

Quality of Experience

Hot springs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastian is the best.

Transport

Breakfast was good. Our room was neat and clean.

Using kimkim was such a breeze! Our travel agent Jacky and tour guide Diego could not have been a more perfect match for us. Both spoke very good english and were amazingly patient with me trying to test my Spanish skills. Jacky set everything up so we could just enjoy our trip and was so sweet even with all of our questions. Both truly made our trip an unforgettable experience.

My wife and I recently completed a 10 day trip to Ecuador and had a tremendous time. We knew very little about the country but wanted to see and learn as much as possible during our 10 day journey. We communicated with Mathias of Authentic Ecuador and found him to be very responsive
and helpful. We traveled Feb. 8-17, 2022 just as the Omicron variant was complicating travel in
many parts of the world. We were helped with all of the details and felt well supported. We arrived in Quito about 01:00 am (late) on our flight from Houston and after being efficiently being gotten through passport control and customs we were pleasantly greeted by our driver who got us to our hotel in old town Quito. Our superb guide, Cristian Portilla, met us promptly the next morning and we spent two days seeing all of Quito and the surrounding area. We particularly enjoyed a day trip to Mindo and the equator museum and exhibits. We then traveled through Banos, Riobamba, Cuenca and on to Guayaquil. Cristian was with us all of the time and provided superior services in taking us to all
of the places of interest in each area. He helped us get a feel for the local culture and took us to
local restaurants. We felt very fortunate to have a guide with his knowledge and dedication.
We booked at pretty much the last minute and could not have been more pleased. The accommodations were in boutique smaller hotels and they were all excellent and unique as well
as comfortable. We always felt safe and well cared for during the travels and give Kimkim, Mathias and Cristian our unqualified recommendation. This was a special trip and we are more
than delighted that we took it.

Hotel Review

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

My wife stayed here Feb. 8-10, 2022 and found it very clean and comfortable. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was modern and fully functional. The breakfasts were very nice with made to order omelets. We also had dinner in the dining room one evening and it was superb. They do not have an elevator so if one is not able to climb stairs it would be a problem. The staff were excellent and we very much enjoyed our stay in this small hotel in the center of the old city.

Tips for future travelers

Be aware there is no elevator.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could walk to many old town sights and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Visit the Pailón del Diablo Waterfall, Explore Baños

Baños

The hike along the river and down to the falls was extremely picturesque. Well worthwhile.

Quality of Experience

Food

We enjoyed the local Ecuadorian foods.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I (we) couldn't have been happier with the whole experience. Linda was receptive, warm, excited for us, and wanting nothing but the best experience in Ecuador we could possibly have! I have been waiting a long time to see/visit Ecuador and what Linda set up for us was simply amazing!

After finally meeting her our first night it just confirmed to us we were going to be onto something special. My traveling companions are absolutely what we experienced along the way. The food, accommodations and the guide ... @SebastianCarrera ... Linda recommended was beyond anything I could have expected. An adventure of a lifetime! I Can't wait to go back and see what I missed this first time!

So ... if you're curious of Ecuador, nervous of planning it yourself, hesitant to travel to this beautiful, beautiful country drop everything and contact Linda through KIMKIM and know that she has you best intersts in mind.

Absolutely 10 stars!!!! Thank you Linda and I hope to see you in Deutschland soon!

What an amazing adventure Erika planned for us!!

We planned our holiday with very short notice. Erika was fast, responsive and available at any time right from the start. She took all of our demands into account and quickly planned a beautiful route with carefully chosen safe and exquisite hotels along the way.

Once in Ecuador she came to meet us with some small gifts which was extremely kind on her behalf and most importantly throughout our stay in Ecuador she was just a message or a phone call away whenever we needed her or had any doubts about the journey.

Her choice of accommodation was impecable, at all our stays we were greeted by extremely educated and welcoming staff, and all the facilities were extremely clean.

Thank you for an amazing trip Erika!

Hotel Review

Huasquila Amazon Lodge

Cotundo

We were lucky enough to spend 3 days at this lodge. The attention was completely personalised, we were taken care of at every minute. Doña Cecilia made sure everything worked according to plan, and overlooked everything so it was perfect for us. Her husband was also extremely kind to us, and always had a smile and a "¿Cómo les fue, disfrutaron hoy?". Saúl was our guide for most of our stay there, he was so welcoming and did a great job at taking us on two different hikes, as well as on our full day trip. Finally, we can't forget the food! Best food ever!! We enjoyed every single dish they served us. We'd recommend this lodge with our eyes closed, it was incredible!! Gracias chicos por su excelente trabajo, les esperamos por Mallorca!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Misahualli River Excursion (Huasquila Lodge)

Archidona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have never been to Ecuador before but after this trip I will strongly recommend to everyone to go to Ecuador and with KimKim :) Daniel was absolutely essential help by preparing my itinerary. I had already some idea but he helped me to make it to the perfection. Let's imagine: we saw in 18 days Galapagos, Guayaquil, Cajas, Cuenca, Gualaceo and Chordeleg, Ingapirca, famous market in Guamote, Chimborazo - 5 000 meters, Baños, Cotopaxi - 4 800 meters, Laguna Quilotoa, Otavalo and of course Quito.
All the time the itinerary work perfectly. All the transportations in Galapagos were just accurate. But the best person was our Guide and driver Christian. He was our guide from Guayaquil till Quito. Every day in the good mood even he must work hard, every day precise picking up us from each hotel, giving a perfect explanation and explaining all my questions. Thanks to him we understand mot just history, architecture and culture but also the people of Ecuador. I have to mention he was driving very safe.
If you ask me what was the best in our trip I couldn't tell you. Everything was just perfect. Galapagos? Cuenca? Ingapirca? Quito? Or Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Baños? Each of this locations were different and wonderful in its way. In addition the hotels we have used were so nice and unique!
Thank you everybody in KimKim who was involved and a special thanks to Daniel and Christian.

Pamela and Lubomir Repka.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Casa Pimampiro

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Mainao

Puerto Ayora

Exe Galería Man-Ging

Guayaquil

Hotel Boutique Carvallo

Cuenca

Posada Ingapirca

Ingapirca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

Hacienda La Cienega

Cotopaxi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Ecuador

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

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

Puerto Ayora

Guayaquil Gateway: Exploring the Pearl of the Pacific

Guayaquil

Full Day to Salinas!

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guayaquil City Tour - Free afternoon

Guayaquil

Guayaquil - Cuenca - City Tour

Guayaquil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cajas National Park - Cuenca - City Tour

Cuenca

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gualaceo - Chordeleg - Cañar Province

Cuenca

Gualaceo - Chordeleg - Cañar Province

Cuenca

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ingapirca Ruins - Guamote

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guamote - Chimborazo - Baños

Guamote

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Baños - Pailón del Diablo to Cotopaxi - Hacienda Adventure

Cotopaxi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon (Private)

Cotopaxi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Otavalo and Cuicocha Lake: A Day Trip from Quito

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

COVID Test at your Hotel

Ecuador

Wow!! What an amazing journey! Mathias and the entire Authentic Ecuador team were just amazing. We already had a trip planned to Southeast Asia that got derailed because of the Omicron variant of Covid. We were able to book an amazing trip through Kim Kim and with Mathias To South and Central America. We began in Peru and then arrived in Ecuador. Ecuador was absolutely magical! We explored Quito, Banos, Archidona and The rainforest at Yasuni National Park. Our guide and driver, Cristian, was an amazing guy. He was kind, warm, laid back and very knowledgeable. From the city bike tour and cooking class, to the gorgeous villa in Archidona, we grew to love the people, culture, history and nature of Ecuador during our stay there. We will be back one day for sure! We would love to bring our children next time! Thank you to the entire team!

Hotel Review

Kuyana Amazon Lodge

Archidona

What an absolutely stunning and peaceful place. Wish we could have stayed longer. The owner and the staff are so kind and the property is immaculate. With the backdrop being the Amazon and in the amazing country of Ecuador, what could be better. We had a super fun cooking class and a really great night walk through the rainforest. What an amazing experience. Thanks guys!

Tips for future travelers

Don't bring too much luggage. Easier for you and the staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Community projects - Paddling excursion - Traditional dinner - Night walk (NCC)

Yasuni National Park

We loved the Napo Cultural Center and our guide Vince is the absolute best!

Quality of Experience

Food

Amazing food! Thanks Chef!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you to Daniel and Jacky for helping us plan an amazing trip to mainland Ecuador and to Galapagos. They helped make travel as easy as possible during these uncertain times! They were so accessible and even met us a few times in Quito which was awesome. Dario was our guide for the majority of the time and he was so knowledgeable and fun to be around! We started off with a city tour of Quito, made it to Cotopaxi, Quilotoa Crater, had an adeventure filled couple of days in Banos, checked out the main market two hours outside of Quito and then spent several days exploring some islands of Galapagos! All tours were on time and all covid tests were negative which made for a fantastic trip! Thanks again for a memorable trip!

Linda did an amazing job planning our trip! We're incredibly grateful for her organizing a last minute trip during such a busy tourist season. Linda ensured we had the best possible experience in Ecuador. Thank you, Linda!

Hotel Review

Jamu Lodge

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Birdwatching, Indigenous Community Visit & Night Walk

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mathias was extraordinary! He helped us through the entire process from customizing the trip to our needs and physical abilities to covering as much as possible culture and nature. He had a network of amazing guides in all locations to that truly cared for us. He even came to meet us in person at our hotel and left us a little present w Ecuador goodies. From Quito bike tour & cooking class to Quitsao& Otavalo and then Galapagos we had an great time in Ecuador! Also, we appreciated the transparency of the process and how easy it was to communicate w Mathias. We are already thinking of our next Ecuador trip ( this was our first time in South America, usually we travel to Europe). Highly recommend Mathias and KimKim!

We had a really lovely trip to Ecuador planned by Daniel and his team!
Our trip included days in Quito, the Galapagos islands and Cuenca
In Quito our guide Danny worked really hard to make sure we got to see the Mitad del Mundo/Intinan museum site, downtown Quito, the Cotopaxi National Park and the Quilotoa lagoon in a packed schedule.
Our RTPCR tests for travel to Galapagos was arranged by Danny right at the hotel.
In Puerto Ayora/Galapagos, we were booked into a lovely hotel - Ikala - right by the wharf and it was great to see the nightlife as well as have lunch on a ranch with giant tortoises nearby.
Cuenca is where Daniel really hit it out of the park with his hotel and room selection at the Cruz Del Vado. Amazing hotel, superb views. Also a special shout out to our guide Genaro who was really knowledgeable both of the flora and fauna in Cajas National park as well as the history of the region when we toured Ingapirca ruins.
the RTPCR test for our return was also arranged by Daniel and it was great to just enjoy the country without having to worry about a lot of the logistics. Daniel or Lucia were always available via Whatsapp for any questions or for minor delays due to traffic for airport pickups etc.
I wouldn't hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend Daniel and Responsible Travels SA for a trip to Ecuador!

We had a blast Daniel planned our first trip to Ecuador and did such a great job we planned another with him. And our guide christen I can say enough good things about him . He was so informative and made our trip even more enjoyable. thank you for all you did for us . We are very grateful 🙏 😀 we had such a wonderful time

We had the best time Daniel prepared the most wonderful trip for us.. our guides Dario and Diego were awesome .we enjoyed Ecuador so much . We loved are whole trip 😍

Mathias put together a fantastic photography trip in the Quilotoa and Imbabura regions of Ecuador. All lodging, guides and drivers were excellent and on schedule. Mathias was always available for questions and assistance when needed and he even went to the length of accompanying me for a couple of days in the trip. He is very professional and has a gift to quickly and exactly understand his clients needs. I cannot thank him enough and would recommend him to anyone for future trip planing in Ecuador, a country he knows very well.

Everything about the trip was well-executed and wonderful! From the beginning planning stages with Jacky to the days with our guide Dario, we really had an amazing experience. You can tell that both of these individuals love their country and have a passion for what they do. I don't think we could have had quite the experience without the proper planning. The lodging was incredible and Dario took us out to places we wouldn't have even thought of. I'm really glad my husband and I took a chance and booked through kimkim. It was our first trip with them but won't be the last!

We had a wonderful tour of Ecuador.
It all occurred without a single glitch.
Daniel met us as soon as we arrived at our hotel to go over details.
He did his best to make us happy in every regard.
Our guide and driver, Christian, was knowledgeable and engaging as well as being a most excellent driver.
We most enjoyed the zipline and our hike to the lagoons. We loved the charming towns of Banos and Cuenca. I had the best Chinese food ever in Banos. The trucha (trout) was exceptional at the lagoons. Had the best roast pork ever at the market in Cuenca. My mouth is watering recalling all the fabulous meals we had.
Thank you for your excellent service.

A perfect 19days tour of Ecuador. Many thanks to Isabel for her patience and help in the organization of the trip.
Our excellent guide Cristobal Cabezas had a lot of experience and knew all the perfect places to spot birds. He made this trip unforgettable. He was sympathetic, polite and very patient while we were taking pictures, a pleasant companion and good driver, sharing a lot of information about the history, politics and people of Ecuador.

Ecuador is a save country and Covid proof. Nature is very diverse and untouched.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Hotel Baquedano

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Edén Treehouse

Mindo

Authenticity & Character

Lo

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria Pampallacta

Papallacta

Authenticity & Character

Lo

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waita Lodge

n/a

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria PapaGayo

Machachi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Birdwatching and time at leisure in Mindo

Mindo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a great trip perfectly organized by Daniel. From the very beginning he listened to all my suggestions and put together an unforgettable itinerary. He was very attractive and quickly responded to my emails and messages. He was a pleasure to deal with!
Daniel also put me in touch with an excellent tour guide, Christian.
I spent four days with Christian taking daily trips and i can say that he was exceptionally good. Whether sightseeing and telling me about the history of Quito, encouraging the hiking up the Cotopaxi volcano, or walking around Otavalo markets, Christian was very caring and attentive to my needs. He also had a great sense of humor!
I loved snorkeling and observing wildlife in Galapagos islands, it was a lot of fun!
I also had a truly unforgettable time in Amazon jungle! Got to eat ants, watch anacondas and pink dolphins, trek through the jungle at night, listen to the sounds of exotic birds, and cook a meal with indigenous people in their village. Breathtaking experience!!!
It was my second time using Kimkim to help me organize a trip and I am very impressed with them. Will definitely use them again in the near future. I also recommend their services to everyone!!!!
Thank you, again!!!