Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra airport and took us to a lava tunnel, private reserve, and Charles Darwin Foundation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Staff were helpful. Breakfast was great. Hotel room was not maintained (bugs, ants, mosquitoes, lizard in the room, bathroom ceiling is open to the room, bathroom door was stuck and housekeeping/maintenance didn’t address the issue, air conditioner stinks when turned on, extremely expensive laundry (charged $4/kg while the laundromat actually charged $1.5/kg).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

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

Galapagos Islands

There was confusion with the guide about the itinerary and we ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final day of our stay on San Cristobal.

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

360° Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life

Isla San Cristóbal

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

We ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final morning since there was confusion with our itinerary on the arrival day.

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must be visited with a National Guide anyway, this process and itinerary were perfect!

The lodgings selected for us were also right up our alley--quaint and boutique with a local touch, while still providing respite and privacy.

We had one morning with miscommunicated tour times, but it was not a big deal and it just meant we had more time for breakfast!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Photos don't do this place justice, honestly! The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with lovely balconies equipped with hammocks. Run by a mother/daughter dream team, we felt so welcomed and comfortable every night we stayed!

Authenticity & Character

Location

A close walk to local restaurants and shops while still off the main road enough to be quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Incredible location and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

We were nervous in the morning that the overcast and misty weather would keep us from seeing the caldera, but it was actually a blessing in disguise to keep us covered and cool from the sun on the first half of the trip. By the time we were out and back from Chico, we had a wonderfully clear view and made it home without too much sunburn. Easy hike, but long with the amount of stopping and sight seeing along the way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Our guide, Astrid, was incredible. So knowledgeable and insightful--she made all the difference to our experience of what was already fantastic sight seeing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Best snorkeling of the trip in my opinion. Wide, open cove with very clear waters that don't get too sandy or crowded. You're able to see a lot of sea life without too much hard work or feeling rushed by the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our tour didn't actually include kayaking, which is fine in retrospect as it was the last day of our trip and I probably would have been more tired!

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

I would have liked a bit more time here, but our guide, Astrid, was extremely knowledgeable and it was so great to see the babies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

A full day on the boat! A fairly large group, but accommodations were adequate (and lunch was so good!) and we got a bit of everything--light hiking on North Seymour with plenty of wildlife sightings, snorkeling in clear coastal waters, and beach time to relax and swim.

Quality of Experience

Would have been nice to see the boat's sails in its full glory, but not a big deal! A pretty big group, which means more chances that people are late/slow/affecting the overall experience. Really not a deal breaker at all, but we ended up preferring some of the smaller group activities. I just wish we saw more flamingos!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Great guide who shared photos and videos after (love that!), but really a crowded location that made it hard to see all of the wildlife. Felt a little rushed. Everyone in the group seemed to have very different levels of swim skill, so it was really hard to stay focused on a given area for sea life spotting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Katarma

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Only drawback at this hotel was there were no elevators - we had to drag our bags 4 stories up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

The water was very cold even with wet suits.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Guide was excellent. Research center was worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Junco Lagoon & Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Most Memorable places: Las Quilotoa in Ecuador, Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock, Charles Darwin Research Center, El Rancho in Santa Cruz, Bartolome Island (this boat crew and company offered fantastic service and the lunch on the boat was amazing!), Hike at Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela Island, Snorkeling in Isabela Island, Kayaking in Tortuga Bay with Turtles and Sharks
Tour guides that were awesome and I would recommend for future trips: Daniel, Wilson, Enrique
Thank you to Alvaro and Daniela for all of your help during the trip and being quick and responsive to our inquiries.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great Breakfast, friendly service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very nice outdoor area where we could spend time together, there was a picnic table and hammocks. This hotel was in walking distance to the restaurants and shops which was very convenient!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

View from this hotel is awesome. Only negative was that we frequently did not have hot water to shower in

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Spacious rooms, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great shuttle service, delicious buffet for dinner

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Daniel was an awesome tour guide. Great to see all of this in one day

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure: Exploring Quilotoa Lagoon and Resting in Cotopaxi

Ecuador

View was awesome! Great trip. It is better for this hike to be at least two days after landing in Quito because of the elevation difference

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Galapagos Islands

Seeing the seals so up close was beautiful, the snorkeling was amazing and enjoyable, I loved learning about the history at the Interpretation center. Wilson was a fantastic tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Beautiful, great location and trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scuba Diving guide was very knowledgeable, patient, and informative. He explained everything thoroughly and I recommend him for future trips

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Loved learning about the turtles and history

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This snorkeling was amazing and is a must see! Seeing the sharks so close was incredible

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the Day like a Local! Leisure Day in Isabela Island

Puerto Villamil

Much needed day off!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

This was an amazing but challenging hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch could have more protein for such a strenuous hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Kayaking in Tortuga bay was an awesome experience. The hike is a nice walk through the forest and on the water, we were able to see turtles and sharks swimming so closely. Enrique was a very knowledgeable and fantastic tour guide! I recommend him for future trips! I do not know if I would recommend the bay tour of Santa Cruz, the tour showed us animals we have seen on other excursions and information we have learned from other guides or trips. Snorkeling was the best part and very enjoyable. The salt mine was also interesting to see. Maybe this tour would be better through a different company, the staff was a little unprofessional on the boat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

We went to Bartolome Island and this trip was incredible. The views were beautiful, snorkeling was amazing and the lunch on the boat was absolutely delicious. Definitely a must see on this trip and one of my favorites. I recommend that everyone goes here!

Quality of Experience

Food

Chef on board was amazing, delicious lunch that I could eat every day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professional, kind, great speedboat company and staff, I recommend them for future tours

Transport

Boat was comfortable, had option to sit outside or inside

Farewell Dinner by the Sea

Puerto Ayora

Many items from the menu were not available for us to choose, the weather was very cold to be sitting outside. It might be better to give groups the option to eat on their own this evening or choose a less expensive restaurant that has all options available on the menu such as (1836 or The Rock and Roll restaurant).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Service was extremely slow here and our waitress forgot many of the items we ordered, we had to ask for our drinks multiple times

Transport

Thank you for having someone walk us to the restaurant so that we know where to go!

Day at leisure until departure (Quito)

Quito

It was very nice to be able to relax and rest but if there are connecting flights available, it might be more convenient to fly home the same day. The hotel was not located near any attractions so there is not much else to visit this evening. Buffet dinner at this hotel was delicious and filling

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We are so glad we found kimkim to help book our trip to the Galapagos Islands. I have only great things to say about Daniel, Alvaro, and Daniela who made our trip such a success. Initially, we provided them information regarding our budget, timeline (two weeks), and level of activity and preferences, and they worked diligently in creating a detailed and personalized itinerary that worked best for our group of four. Our trip began in Quito and then had stops in the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. Alvaro and Daniela ensured that everything about our travel arrangements was absolutely seamless! It was so nice not to worry about transportation. All of our taxis, boat transfers, entrance tickets, travel guides, and hotel stays were taken care of. Every single excursion and activity the kimkim team planned for us was an amazing experience, we loved all of our snorkeling trips! All of our tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, and provided us with detailed information about the islands and the animals. Daniela and Alvaro also kept in touch with us during our entire trip and were available in case we had questions or concerns, we were very grateful for their quick responses and consistent communication! Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands is an amazing place to visit. I loved being so close to all of the animals, seeing such different plants and landscapes, eating all of the food (trying the seafood is a must!) and meeting all of the welcoming and friendly people. We had the trip of a lifetime and I would definitely book my next trip with kimkim because of our positive experience. Thank you!! :)

Hotel Review

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great location and awesome breakfast. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking Adventure: Exploring Quilotoa Lagoon and Resting in Cotopaxi

Ecuador

Such a beautiful place, the view is incredible. The walk down to the lagoon is fairly easy, however the walk uphill is a bit strenuous, you may want to consider renting a mule for $10 a person :)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was a great guide!

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

The views are worth the long walk, it was so neat seeing the crater of a volcano and the various lava formations. It looked like you were walking on the surface of the moon!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

The best snorkeling experience of my life! We got to swim with a Galapagos penguin!! The trip was on a beautiful and comfortable boat with a chef who prepared a delicious lunch for our group. The location for snorkeling was absolutely ideal. It was the best day on our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, and fish, rice, pasta, and beet salad for lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro, Daniela, and Daniel did an outstanding job with the planning and execution of our trip to Ecuador (Quito and the Galápagos Islands). They were available (even checking up on us during the trip!) and willing to go above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be.
They connected us with very knowledgeable and passionate guides like Daniel in Quito, Wilson in San Cristobal, and Enrique in Santa Cruz.
I especially enjoyed the hike down to the Quilotoa Lake, the unforgettable and breathtaking views from Bartolomé Island, and the hike to the expansive crater of Volcano Sierra Negra.
We also loved all the animals we found along the way on land and in the water. The trips to los tuneles and las tintoreras allowed us to get extremely close to blue-footed boobies and whitetip reef sharks. We snorkeled as much as we could and were even joined for a swim by a couple of playful sea lions! It was an amazing experience. The free snorkel experience at Concha de Perla on Isabela Island was also well worth it - we saw sea turtles and sting rays!
Our hotel hosts were also very kind and the food provided at breakfast was delicious. Shout outs go to Casa de Nelly in San Cristobal, Hotel La Isla in Santa Cruz, and Casa de Marita on Isabela.
Overall it was a 5/5 star experience in every way. With quick communication, connections and transfers from airports to hotels to boats made easy the trip went as smoothly as possible. Thank you for your hard work and for making this such an amazing experience!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great location and delicious food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very kind host who made us delicious meals and provided towels for snorkeling!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Amazing hotel and kind staff and beautiful rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Loved the access to the beach and views from the second floor breakfast area!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Very nice hotel with a great option of buffet style dinner that is available until late - great for travelers coming in late. Don’t be fooled, the food is amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking Adventure: Exploring Quilotoa Lagoon and Resting in Cotopaxi

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Loved the trip to Kicker Rock. Our dive guide Michael was awesome and he showed us how to navigate around the rock and currently safely.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Awesome views of Sierra Negra volcano are well worth the strenuous hike. The weather cleared up quite a bit on our hike which made it all that much better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Awesome way to get up and close and swim with sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks! Let’s not forget the seahorse and penguins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Really awesome and breathtaking views from Bartolome Island. Highly recommend the snorkeling with hundreds of fish surrounding the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the Day like a Local! Leisure Day in Isabela Island

Puerto Villamil

Snorkeling at Concha de Perla was a great way to spend some free time on Isabela Island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

Loved getting up and close with the animals in las Tintoreras.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Galapagos islands were my number one travel destination, but the idea of planning and organizing a trip was a bit complicated so I reached out to KimKim and got paired with Tamer. I’m not sure how I got so lucky to have him as my agent.
Right from day one of us talking, he really put me at ease and gave me lots of ideas for the trip and options, and we worked together on things that I had heard of and wanted to do, and paired them with some things that I would never have known about without him. He took my budget and got us the most out of what we wanted to spend, and really personalize the experience for us.
When we got closer to the trip, he also sent lots of information for us on what we should be packing and what to expect when we got to Ecuador and the islands so that we were fully prepared.
Arriving in Ecuador, we were amazed at how organized the trip was, and Tamer had even gone ahead of us to the hotel to make sure it was up to our standards and leave us a little gift. Everything was so easy we knew exactly when we were getting picked up and where we were going and what to expect on each day trip we were taking. He definitely took all the guess work out for us and while we were in Ecuador, we even got to meet Tamer for lunch. I was beyond excited to meet him because I had been speaking with him daily for months, organizing the perfect trip, and I really felt like we had become friends over this time.
Every day on the trip, he would check on us and how we were doing and how we enjoyed each excursion or day that he had planned for us. I couldn’t have planned a more amazing trip without him.
I highly recommend if people are thinking about going to the islands to reach out and get someone to help plan that knows all of the amazing day trips, and different places you can go.
This was definitely the trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget.

Hotel Reviews

Swissotel Quito

Quito

This was a beautiful hotel, and the staff were so helpful and kind. Very clean, and a great location. Also, the restaurants in this hotel were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful, small hotel. The location was wonderful. The only downside is I prefer a separate room for a washroom for a little more privacy and these ones just had a half length door off of the main room but other than that the staff was great and the hotel was clean and well cared for

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Nice staff and clean hotel. Good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Love the location of this hotel. You walk down the stairs and you are right at sea lion beach, which I love just to watch every morning when I would wake up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

We were only here for a very short time, but the room was beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day to The Middle of the World Monument - Catequilla Hill & Pucará de Rumicucho

Quito

The guide that we had for this trip was amazing. So knowledgable and made it such a fun day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

So much wildlife to see on land and in the water. The guides were very personable and enjoyable to be around.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

This was one of my favourite days on our trip. We saw so much from sharks and rays to blue footed boobies and sea lions. We were even lucky enough to see some penguins on this trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

360° Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life

Isla San Cristóbal

I loved the 360 tour because we got to see a lot of different parts of the island. However, if I could’ve done just a Kicker Rock I would have. If I went back, I would want to spend more time there. I can’t even explain the beauty of the coral underneath the water. I was shocked when we went snorkelling there. We saw hammerhead sharks here as well as turtles and sea lions. It was the most amazing snorkelling I did in the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

This island was another one of my favourites as far as day trips went while we were on our vacation. So many baby sea lions were here and we saw lots of birds, and even baby albatrosses. The guide we had this day was one of my favorites, and made the trip so enjoyable. Food on the boat was great and this island was one of my favourites for sure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro booked a series of wonderful tours for me. With one exception, the Galapagos partners and guides were reliable, knowledgable and personable, with a true interest in sharing their knowledge of the island and its wildlife and ecology, willing to share of themselves and make a personal connection, as well as get me to and from destinations safely and on time. Particular standout guides were Danny (for the introduction to the Island), Solange (everyday assistance and San Cristobal Highlands visit), Christian (for Espanola), Patricio (for Santa Cruz), Freddy and the crew of the Nautilus (for Bartholome), Rita (Santa Cruz), for getting me to and from places on time and helping me search for my phone, and the crew of Wreck Bay Adventures.
Best trips, in my opinion, were Espanola and Bartholome, with the service and comfort on the Nautilus exceeding all expectations. Occasional miscommunications did occur, but the overall experience was wonderful.

Hotel Review

Isla Azul Eco Hostal

Puerto Ayora

This hotel was a good fit for me. I like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, and a nice common areas, but don't need much in terms high luxury. The rooms were clean and nice and the owners and staff were very interesting to chat with and very accommodating to my dietary needs. overall I had a wonderful stay at Isla Azul.

Authenticity & Character

I liked the use of wood in the rooms and the building, it made it very cozy and pleasant to sit in. There is a semi-outdoor common area/lobby that was very comfortable and stocked with books. The owners had interesting stories to tell

Location

It's an average location, felt safe, some stores and bars nearby, about 10 min walk to the "strip"

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms were cleaned daily, water refilled every other day.

Activity Review

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

This was a fantastic trip -- the amount of wildlife we saw was mind-blowing and Christian was a wonderful guide. The crew on the boat was very personable and even found my lost waterbottle! Should have brought a better wetsuit for the snorkeling. The water was really chilly!

Quality of Experience

All of it

Food

The food was good. I liked the fresh fruit. Overall the boat lunches are so -so, but they always have rice, so great for gluten-free dietary needs.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So helpful, communicative, and personable. The guide knew a lot!

Transport

We were lucky with the ocean not being too choppy that day. The boat can be a little crowded for longer trips

From the first interaction with Tamer through KimKim, we were blown away by his excellent customer service, kindness, and professionalism. We really hadn't done much research on the Galapagos and so he had his work cut out for him. He came up with an outstanding itinerary for our 10 day adventure across Quito and the Islands of Santa Cruz (with a day tour to Bartolome), two day stay on Isabela, and another two days in San Cristobal. Prior to our departure, we had several phone calls with him verifying the hotels, tours, etc, and he truly managed to make us even more excited than we already were about our trip. He also touched based with us each day of our journey to check in and re-verify pick up times, itinerary, and what we needed for the next day ahead. The entire experience was seamless, and we were throughly impressed with the way we were handed off and taken care of during the periods of transition to ports and activities. The tour guides he set us up with ( Viviana, Philipe, Eduardo, Wilson, and Sebastian just to name a few) on the different islands and mainland were incredibly knowledgable, hospitable, and so very friendly! We elected for the luxury accommodations and it was definitely worth the extra expense as it made us feel safe and well taken care of. On our adventures, we were able to see many blue footed boobies, frigate birds, sea lions with brand new pups, giant land tortoises, and snorkeled with sea turtles, and white tip sharks! The Galápagos penguins had migrated to a part of Isabela island that we weren't able to visit, but this was truly the only animal we wanted to see that we weren't able to for the time of year we traveled. This honestly was a trip of a lifetime, but in no way would we have been able to plan it on our own. Tamer even took the time out of his day to meet us for coffee in Quito which was just another testament to what it was like to work with him in planning this incredible journey. Thank you for everything, Tamer! We highly recommend working with him and his company to plan your adventures!

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great choices at the hotel buffet, comfortable beds and great view of the Andes. Prime location for early or late flights is a perk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Great location on the Harbor. Right on the main strip with access to great restaurants and shops. Great food and drinks at the hotel restaurant too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

This hotel was an amazing experience with great views of the sunset, friendly and hospitable staff and very clean accommodations. Be sure to grab a local beer from the lobby and enjoy the rooftop terrace at sunset! You might even catch a local soccer game if you are lucky!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Golden Bay Galapagos – Specialty Boutique Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

By far the most beautiful room of our stay. Watching the sea lion pups on our balcony and off the hotel property was incredible. Eating at the hotel restaurant MUYU is a must!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Great snorkeling adventure! The tour guide and boat crew were wonderful and we even had a champagne toast at the end of the day to celebrate new friends and a wonderful day on the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies!

Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides, drivers, and contact escorts were all lovely, prompt and knowledgeable. We highly recommend using Kimkim. We did all the activities we had wanted to do.

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Such a quaint hotel with friendly, helpful staff. Great location in walking distance to parks and restaurants. We walked to the Old Town which took about an hour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

The roof top breakfast nook was great.

Location

Right on the water front, with a beautiful view of the harbour.

Staff

Friendly and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable, it would have been nice to have a couple of comfortable chairs instead of 2 beds. The cupboard and drawers were a bit musty. Otherwise the room was very clean.

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in two different rooms, each one very unique. The breakfast room was nicely laid out.

Location

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

A lovely court yard with swimming pool and eating area.

Location

Our room faced the beach which with a view of the palm trees, sand and turquoise water. Beautiful!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and bed were very comfortable. The only suggestion would be to have more comfortable chairs or cushions for the poolside area.

Activity Reviews

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

Galapagos Islands

Our tour guide, Solange was lovely and very knowledgeable. It was obvious she loves her work. The Interpretation Center provides a detailed history of the islands. It was the perfect place to start our arrival to the Galápagos. Tijeretas Hill gives you a great view and no shortages of sea lions!

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Great views of fish and tortoises. Spectacular view of Kicker Rock o the boat ride out. Impressive stop for lunch in a quiet bay and opportunity to walk a near by beach.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The opportunity to learn so much about the tortoises and be able to get a couple of meters close to them. Who knew tortoises and cattle live side by side! The volcano lava tunnel was impressive and so educational. The conservation efforts for the tortoises is impressive and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

We did not visits Floreana, but rather Bartolome.

Speedboat to Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras (Kayak)

Galapagos Islands

We really enjoyed the kayaking and seeing the sea turtles, sting rays, pelicans and blue footed boobies. The hotel accommodations we beautifully situated across from the beach with the view of the turquoise water. The walk up to the volcanos was one of my favourite activities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip. Everything was so organized and Isabel, the travel specialist we worked with, was so helpful in promptly answering all questions. Once we got to the Galapagos everything went so smoothly. The hotels and tours were great. Overall, I cannot recommend this trip, and using kimkim and Isabel to arrange/organize everything enough.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The hotel is in a great location. The rooms and grounds are great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were just a couple blocks from the water, and within walking distance of everything you would want in Puerto Ayora.

Staff

So helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Very quaint hotel right on the water. Our room had a balcony overlooking the beach.

Authenticity & Character

The balcony overlooking the ocean was so nice and the sun deck on the roof was great for an evening glass of wine!

Location

Staff

They were so helpful and nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Our guide was great! He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Seeing the conservation efforts up close and the tortoise breeding center was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

The guide was so knowledgeable and this is such a cool excursion!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

There was no option to kayak, but the snorkeling was cool with a focus on white tipped reef sharks. The guide seemed a little less into the trip than other guides, but still had a ton of information to give.

Quality of Experience

Snorkeling over the reef sharks was so cool.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This was amazing! Such a beautiful and unique area. There was amazing diversity while snorkeling and we saw so many sea turtles. Bonus we also saw penguins, orcas and albatross! This is a must-do experience if you are on Isabela.

Quality of Experience

Overall just a great day and we saw so much!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was so nice and the guide was so knowledgeable.

Transport

Fun and fast boat ride!

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Our guide Nadia was clearly passionate about the area and the ecology. She was so knowledgeable. The hike is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Sandwiches which were filling, but basic.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nadia was amazing.

Transport

Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning and it was a great trip though for senior citizens like us it was tiring
Lucia was very patient and kind and despite our cranky requests she went out of the way to help
Suggestions for Indian tourists
Ecuador Visa is not easy to get for Indians
Process is long with police clearance and personal interview in Delhi
Vegetarian food most places are ok but in one Hotel Deja Vu they gave ham sandwich as vegetarian to us in the Box breakfast and it will not be acceptable by many Indians
Indians need English guides and mixing with Spanish group despite so called dual language guide not very encouraging
Indians need to go with English group predominantly as guides are more comfortable in Spanish and talk more in Spanish
Senior citizens should get a more relaxed tour especially if they ask for it
These are only suggestions to help not complaints
Outstanding tours Machu Pichu
Guide Javier excellent
Very sad We couldn't do rainbow mountain and lost the money
Napo Cultural centre awesome
Chef Eric excellent for vegetarian food
Guide Valencia very good
In Quito Alejandro and his son Sebastian were outstanding and good and kind
Galapagos Volcano Hotel Paola is a sweetheart and very very nice she even gifted us few souvenirs from her own money
Volcano tour by walking was very very exhausting so this needs to be highlighted for senior citizens
The north Seymour tour Last day was climax of good ending
Thanks Lucia and Kim Kim travels for making us fulfill our bucket list 🙏🙏

The Galapagos Islands were an unforgettable experience. We did an 8-day trip during the month of July to the islands where we visited two of the islands--Santa Cruz and Isabela. The wildlife and the natural habitats were spectacular. We saw sea turtles, giant tortoises, lizards, sea lions, reef sharks, penguins, rays, and various birds and fish. On the island of Santa Cruz, there are multiple biomes so you are able to see pristine beaches, a foggy and moist highland, and an arid lowland. The volcanic element to the islands also created an impressive backdrop that made you feel as if you were on a different planet. It is a place we highly recommend visiting.

The people we met were very friendly and all of the guides were very knowledgeable as only resident Galapagueños can be guides on the islands. The one thing that we feel would have made this experience better would have been to have one point of contact person for the whole trip. We had different tour guides every day as they all specialize in different areas, which was fine, but we had a different point-of-contact person each day which resulted in there being inconsistencies between the information in our itinerary and what they communicated. Additionally, they did not always tell us what we would need to be prepared for the following day's activities (e.g. recommending that we hire a wet suit or have appropriate footwear for some of the walking activities). Other than that, it was a really great trip.

Alvaro named this trip "Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador" and he was totally accurate. Our trip was 12 days in total and it was full of memorable and magical experiences, breathtaking nature and fun and excitement. The hotels were all fantastic and each and every guide along the way was terrific. There was not one glitch in any of our transfers, travel arrangements or tours. We were treated like special guests in this magnificent country. Alvaro was a pleasure to work with and he worked closely with us to make sure he put together the exact kind of trip that we were hoping for. He used his expertise to guide us to the right choices for us and, after getting to know us through our conversations, even made sure to include several wonderful surprises along the way. We feel very lucky that we were matched up with Alvaro and we don't have a single bad or negative thing to say about our trip. Don't hesitate to book with Alvaro...you will be so happy you did.

Hotel Reviews

Patio Andaluz

Quito

The hotel is beautiful and has old-warm charm. The staff is extremely friendly and professional. Our two-story room was wonderful. The breakfast was quite nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

This was an amazing experience. It's situated in the jungle but every care has been taken to ensure a comfortable and memorable time. An on-duty chef prepared fantastic meals...even including a beautiful birthday cake for my birthday. Our guide, Tyson, was the greatest guy. He was tireless in making sure we saw as much wildlife as possible. Every time we came back to the lodge we were greeted with a different ice-cold juice and a cold, damp hand towel. The rooms themselves were very nice and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

A truly educational experience.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rincon de Puembo, BW Signature Collection

Puembo

We were only here for a night, because of its proximity to the airport. It's a very nice hotel and the staff was very professional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

This hotel is exceptional. Our beautiful room had a breathtaking view of the harbor and sunset. Susanah found out it was my birthday and she brought me a complimentary bottle of wine. I can't recommend this hotel highly enough.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Right on the water, our ocean front room was lovely and had a spectacular view of the beach. The restaurant (across the street) prepared a wonderful dinner for us and had a beautiful breakfast. Ava did everything to make sure that we had a wonderful stay in this beautiful hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

This hotel is in the perfect spot in Puerto Ayora. The room was lovely and the view of the pool and harbor was beautiful. The restaurant served a fantastic breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Marco was our guide for all of our time in Quito and he was simply wonderful. Such a kind gentleman and very informative. We feel like we actually made a friend in him. The walking tour of Colonial Quito was terrific and we loved the Mitad del Mundo.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco was exceptionally great.

Transport

Welcoming Cocktail Class at Night!

Quito

We LOVED this experience. So much fun and we made delicious drinks and were served fantastic food. Edwin was truly a wonderful host and his assistants, Josue and Karen, were so sweet.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwin is fantastic. We highly recommend this.

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Another wonderful day with Marco. The hike in Mindo was beautiful. We loved stopping at the Alambi Reserve and seeing the scores of hummingbirds feeding.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco is the best!

Transport

Quito - Yaku Kausay Indigenous Experience in the Amazon

Galapagos Islands

This was a very interesting and unique and educational experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path

Yasuni National Park

Everything we did with Tyson in the rain forest was amazing. The hike to the lookout tower, a paddled canoe down the Black Creek, watching the macaws drink at the sulphur pond. Everything was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tyson was an amazing, caring guide throughout our time in the jungle.

Transport

Sacred Wayusa Ritual, Goodbye and return to the City (Yaku Kausay Experience)

Yasuni National Park

We opted not to do this ritual.

Cooking Class Experience in Quito

Quito

Back with the fabulous Edwin, this time with Josue, Karen and Mishelle assisting him, we LOVED this experience. So much fun and very informative. We were given drinks and watched so much wonderful food being prepared and then we got to eat it all. Delicious! A very memorable afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was truly exceptional.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwin is the best!

Transport

Afternoon Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar

Quito

Another terrific afternoon with Marco. We loved the spectacular Telefrico ride and the view from above. We got fantastic pictures on the swings that overlook the valley.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco is so great!

Transport

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

Galapagos Islands

This was a great overview of San Cristobal. Lenin was a very informative guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

This is a very nice restaurant and they prepared a lovely meal for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Villamil

Our guide was terrific. The area where we kayaked wasn't the most exciting but it was a lot of fun. The snorkel area was nice but a little cold and murky.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Terrific guide

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

We loved this experience. We learned so much and had a wonderful afternoon with our terrific guide, Daniel, and the tortoises.

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant at Rancho Primicias is really fantastic. We had a delicious lunch there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was great

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

The kayaking trip in Tortuga Bay was really wonderful. We saw SO many sea turtles around us, reef sharks, a nest with baby great blue herons. This is a spectacular place to spend the afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose was a terrific guide

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

This trip was truly spectacular. The Altarmar is a gorgeous boat, the crew was friendly and Felipe was an excellent guide. We saw many blue-footed boobies, frigates and such when we pulled alongside Daphne Major Island. We loved exploring the uninhabited Bartolome' and learned so much from Felipe there. Then the snorkeling off the beach at Santiago was fantastic...we saw sea turtles, a reef shark and many beautiful fish. Lunch back on the boat was excellent. As was the trip back. An awesome day.

Quality of Experience

Well worth the money

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Felipe and the boat staff were excellent

Transport

Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

This was very smooth. Just like everything else that Alvaro set up.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Every single driver we had on this trip was great

Transport

Hi, my daughter and I took a fairly short trip to the Galapagos in August 2022 and Alvaro at kimkim set up every detail. Through Alvaro, kimkim continues to provide a wonderful, small group, personalized trip. We had the luxury of being met at airports and ports, and taken to comfortable, well-located hotels. Whenever I had a question or there was a problem (in our case, in the form of a cancelled flight that threw the schedule off), Alvaro was there and worked intensely to help.

Before the trip, Alvaro worked through several different itineraries with me, as I tried to figure out what would work. He was, throughout, friendly, cordial, responsive, and full of suggestions that might fit. He listens well, and never seems to get impatient. I'll always associate our memorable trip with his benevolent presence, and would highly recommend both him and kimkim!

This trip was fantastic. Exceeded expectations. We swam with so many sharks (totally safe). My wife and I went for our honeymoon. Alvaro tailored the trip to our budget and special requests even last minute requests were accommodated.

The discovery dive is great for beginner divers and was definitely worth it. All the fish and shellfish based specialties were the best foods and we had fun hiking and sampling the local beer.

Who knew sharks at Galapagos would be friendly!

My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was very pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks to Daniel, my travel details were ironed out before , during and after the trip. I had issues with my covid test result being delayed and had a mild panic, anxious situation, but with Daniel help I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip, During the trip, Daniel was very easy and fast to reach when I had questions . He helped me speak to one of the receptionist over the phone because I couldn't communicate in Spanish . Daniel is very thorough when booking tours , he would follow through with the tour guides and made sure they were there on time and explained what I would expect on the tours. I also felt safe knowing that Daniel was only a call away via whatsapp. I'm using kimkim again for my next trip because my experience with Daniel's help made a huge difference.

Galápagos Islands trip review

This is the second time we worked with Mathias for our trip. The first trip was Ecuador adventure tour including Quito, Banos, and Amazon. It was a great trip.

This time we worked with Mathias for our Galapagos island trip and it was amazing. Mathias is super thoughtful, he made sure that every single detail of the trip was taken care of. He is very patient and is so accommodating with our requests and needs. When we first arrived at the Quito hotel, Mathias met us in person with a gift of wine, chocolate, coffee, and soap. This is such a wonderful personal touch that made us feel so welcome.

During the trip, Mathias was available any time we needed any assistance and fixed any issues. On one our trips that they put us on a tour without kayaking, Mathias made sure to put us on another kayaking tour—complimentary from him. In the morning we left for Galápagos Islands the hotel forgot to pack us breakfast, Mathias offered us free breakfast after we checked in at the airport. In addition, we got an upgrade for our flight back to Quito from Santa Cruz. All these gestures made us feel super welcome and taken care of.

All the day tours we were on were amazing: with awesome tour guides and on time pick up and drop off—not a worry at all from our part. We were confident that we were well taken care of.

I would work with Mathias in the future again. He is truly an incredible person to work with and I give him the highest recommendations!

What a wonderful experience we had in Galapagos!

Alvaro was super attentive and responsive to all of our questions and had great insight on local activities. We felt very safe in our travels. Safe even to walk at night dressed like a tourist honestly. In all the places we visited in the Galápagos Islands. We speak Spanish but in all honesty the trip was so completely planned from start to finish with transportation and quick support that it really didn’t matter. I would definitely recommend the planning service to my friends who speak no Spanish. We wish we had done our scuba certificate because this is an incredible place to dive, but we did get to do a beginner/non-certificate “discovery” dive which was an amazing experience.

Some favorite places we visited below:

Isabella: smallest town we visited but the tours were WOW

Hotel- Casa de Marita - beachfront boutique hotel with an incredible view walking distance from the doc/ snorkeling/ beachfront dining. Walk the boardwalk and explore the seaside. =]

Volcano (Sierra negra) 10 mile hike in Isabella - Visit to the second largest crater in the world. This was an intense, gratifying hike. Definitely bring hiking boots (not sneakers) and a camera. Incredible view, and and quite satisfying.

Tintoreras: This tour was rather short compared to some others but we saw the most penguins, blue footed boobies, and sharks (in just a snorkel) than any other tour! Also lots of sea lions and marine iguanas.

San Cristobal:
Here the sea lions are everywhere along the boardwalk area (the most we saw anywhere). Go for a walk and greet MANY sea lions on the way on the park benches and sidewalks.

Casa Blanca- ADORABLE boutique hotel with incredible view (on the bay) and just in front of the main doc which was very convenient for our tours that left from there. Restaurant there is superb. Hostess was incredible.

Tijeretas- easy paved hike with a favorite snorkel spot. Up close and personal experience with playful sea lions and tortoises! Interpretation center is a great family activity.

Santa Cruz:
This is a fun island with lots of food, shopping, tours, and activities! The below 2 favorites are great family activities!

Acacia hotel - beauuuuutiful eco hotel that definitely felt like a treat with a private pool and modern/tasteful amenities.

Exploring and uninhabited island- Bartolomé. I wasn’t sure what to expect here but this was a great package because it was a larger boat with a great crew/ tour guide. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and champagne included with a rather easy hike and beautiful snorkel. We saw new and different creatures such as a manta ray and puffer fish in the reef, as well as tortoises, playful sea lions and parrotfish up close.

Highlands tortoises farm- a beautiful home for the tortoises and we were able to see them up close, watch them eat their fruits freely and had a wonderful tour guide who was passionate about her work. Wonderful restaurant was there too.

Hotel Reviews

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

This was so wonderful and charming. Beauuuuutiful eco hotel that definitely felt like a treat with a private pool and modern/tasteful design and amenities. The had robes hung up for us and several beautiful lounge areas. Also the hostess was wonderful, helpful, and inviting. Breakfast was fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Modern eco style was very tasteful

Location

Central location

Staff

Warm, inviting and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Lived the robes and also the bathroom was no the stylish and clean.

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

This place was very impressive. One of our favorite hotels! The waterfront view was incredible. The garden was also so charming! Water front tapas for happy hour was a classy treat and dinner was also very good. Staff made us feel very taken care of as well.

Authenticity & Character

This place was very charming and definitely had a proud Latin American personality.

Location

This is located on the end of the beach where it’s quieter, but also just a few steps down the beach are many waterfront restaurants and also pharmacy/essentials in walking distance.

Staff

Welcoming, warm, and took great care of us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Areas were clean, comfortable, and beautiful.

Casa Blanca

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

We stayed at the top floor suite and it had a great view, and a huge private patio. We could see the sunset from their incredible restaurant downstairs. Hospitality was wonderful and we felt well taken care of as well as safe in the area. Overall very impressed. This place is right near the bay doc which is both convenient and provides a great view!

Authenticity & Character

Lots of personality- was quaint and charming.

Location

Very convenient and beautiful sunset waterfront view .

Staff

Very attentive and took care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Loved the privacy of the top floor suite.

Activity Reviews

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

This was an intense, gratifying 10 mile hike. Definitely bring hiking boots (not sneakers or hiking sandals) and a camera. Incredible view, and and quite satisfying. Tour guide was very energetic and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Was the kind of challenging hike I was hoping for!

Food

Bagged lunch provided was good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable

Transport

Dinner by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Isla Grill was incredible. There were small sharks by the foot of the restaurant in plain view which was an added bonus for us! It really felt like a special occasion place. We had a bottle of the Isla Grill wine which was so good!

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

Puerto Ayora

I wasn’t sure what to expect here but this was a great package because it was a larger boat with a great crew/ tour guide. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and champagne included with a rather easy hike and beautiful snorkel. We saw new and different creatures such as a manta ray and puffer fish in the reef, as well as tortoises, playful sea lions and parrotfish up close.

Quality of Experience

Staff was so attentive and friendly! Also so many amenities. Very relaxing yet eventful day.

Food

Salad and dressing, fish, fried/battered bananas, huge breakfast, champagne, flan, everything was great and they thought of everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and attentive.

Exploring the Underwater World: Discovery Basic Diving Day in Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

We did the discovery tour and felt very well taken care of. We had an instructor walk us through instructions (just 2 students:1 instructor) and our instructor was very attentive. He made me feel safe and comfortable and took great go pro pictures and videos which were provided to us for free!

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

Puerto Villamil

This was a favorite tour for sure. This tour was rather short compared to some others but we saw the most penguins, blue footed boobies, and sharks (in just a snorkel) than any other tour! Also lots of sea lions and marine iguanas.

Quality of Experience

Food

Gave us tangos (local chocolate covered biscuits kind of) after our snorkel =]

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super knowledgeable and friendly, enthusiastic, and funny =]

Transport

Kayaking on Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

This tour was rather self paced which was good for fitting different schedules. A long simple walk through town and on a beach, then kayaking was so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self paced and more hands off large group tour

Transport

This was a lovely walk to the beach through town

Exploring the Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Galapagos Islands

Beautiful family friendly experience with wonderful guide and ability to get up close and personal with land tortoises free range style. They seem very happy here. It was a beautiful tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Cafe we visited on site was a delicious 3 course meal. So good!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing tour guide. Passionate about her field, educated, and an obvious live for the wild life.

Transport

Cabs

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

Galapagos Islands

This was our first real tour. We actually were offered to do both areas to snorkel but elected to do just the first (tijeretas). This was a wonderful snorkel with an easy paced hike beforehand. Sea lions were very playful and friendly. Tortoises also were happy to swim with us! Snorkeling go pro pictures were included for free =]

Quality of Experience

Quito and the Galapagos - with Daniel
This was our first time using Kimkim and we were so impressed. Our local specialist was so helpful from the beginning to the very end of our vacation. His recommendations provided us with all of the highlights and were perfect for our adventurous and nature-loving family of 5 (kids 9, 12, 15). We enjoyed snorkeling daily with playful sea lions and sea turtles. One of our best days was visiting the beautiful uninhabited island of Española were we saw newborn sea lion pups and blue footed booby chicks and families of Albatross.
During our stay in Quito, we did day trips to Mindo which was one of our favorite places with the butterfly garden, bird watching and ziplining.
Daniel was quickly responsive with any questions we had and regularly checked in to make sure everything was going smoothly. The airport and boat transfers were seamless. We always had a guide waiting for us when disembarking, insuring we had no moments of feeling lost in a foreign country.
I would absolutely use Kimkim again to plan our next adventure.

Hotel Review

Kitu Hotel

Quito

The staff at Kitu were so welcoming and kind. Our room was comfortable and clean. Breakfast was conveniently located in the attached restaurant , and on days we had early pick ups, they were kind enough to provide a bagged meal for us. We would definitely stay there again when visiting Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town, markets and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Our guide Darwin was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable and great with our kids (ages 9, 12 and 15). We loved seeing all of the animals while snorkeling and on land

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Our guide Cristian was absolutely amazing. He was so knowledgeable and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

We fell in love with Mindo! The variety of birds and butterflies were phenomenal. We also loved being able to see every stage of butterfly development from egg to hatching from their cocoons.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

This was the highlight of our trip to the Galapagos! We felt like we were right in an episode of National Geographic. We arrived to the beach to see newborn sea lion pups. We saw nesting blue footed boobies and albatrosses. We snorkeled with playful sea lions. Absolutely incredible experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport