Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Our trip to Iceland with friends was excellent. We had a wonderful time. Duncan allowed us to have the very trip we wanted.

Great experience using KimKim for our trip to Iceland. Emanuela was helpful obtaining hotel reservations we were unable to get on our own. She seemed to get the best rooms at the best hotels for us. Daily itineraries including maps, travel times, sights to see and places to eat were so helpful. This gave us the confidence to go out on our own to explore instead with a tour group. I would definitely use again when a first time traveler to another region of the world.

My family and I had a fantastic experience with Jenny and KimKim overall. It was such a memorable experience. We wanted an adventure style vacation with our 2 young sons, and this didn't disappoint. Jenny took all of my feedback on the type of vacation we wanted and she curated a wonderful itinerary that hit all of the sites and excursions we wanted to see/do all within our budget and timeline. We will absolutely be back to Iceland and will use KimKim for my future vacations.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eldhestar

Ölfus, Hveragerði

Wonderful hotel - clean and quiet close to our daily activities and with an awesome horseback riding experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hunkubakkar Guesthouse

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Comfortable and quiet guesthouses that are in a great spot if you are traveling on the south coast. Very friendly staff, nice breakfast. Quiet and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Great location - you can walk and don't need a car. Very clean and great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Horses and Hotsprings

Iceland

We loved this experience. It was more than just horseback riding on a farm. We went with a great tour and it was a real horseback riding adventure that took your experience into account.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had such an unforgettable trip to Iceland. This is actually the third time I used Kim Kim. Our group worked directly with Eric as well as a few other employees from Kim Kim. All were professional and hard-working. Through them we were able to have wonderful memories. Thanks for helping us navigate through all the details.

Kim kim did a wonderful job taking our preferences and creating a great trip plan complete with rental car, hotels, tickets to key tours and recommendations for eating establishments. Perhaps best of all they were constantly available to assist us with questions and assistance. I would book through them again!!!

Mark & Sara

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fludir

Fludir

Amazing staff that went out of their way to accommodate our needs. Very friendly!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very centrally located to tour the Golden Circle .

Staff

Hotel Laki

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Incredible food offerings for both dinner and breakfast. Beautiful country setting with mountain and sea views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Keflavík by Keflavík Airport

Keflavík

This is an amazing hotel with first class feel and attention to detail. 10 minutes from the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Less cheesy jokes. I felt that I was at a comedy act at times.

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

We loved this activity. Wonderfully relaxing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secret Ice Cave

Iceland

Incredible experience though this tour involves walking planks in caves over rushing ice streams 10-30 ft below. We enjoyed it but noted that several were very uncomfortable with the balance and footing. Great guides!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour

Iceland

You can see the glacial ice in the water from the shore and will not see very different views from the boat. Having said this the guides did share some information and comments that were interesting!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spectular trip. Our guide Silvia was outstanding, she took absolute care of us from soup to nuts. We knew we were in the best of hands and have recommended her and Kim Kim to all our friends

Great trip had a wonderful time.
My only complaint is the lack of communication once the fee was paid.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Nice place but not much to do after awhile

Quality of Experience

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Beautiful location, beautiful horses and amazing guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Whale Watching Olafsvik

Iceland

saw hump back whales, sperm whales, orcas, dolphins and puffin, my children were over the moon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lots of back and forth in creating the trip to Iceland . Packed what were quite a few stops on the self driven tour putting on 1650km in essentially 6 days. The driving instructions along with the commentary was well thought out and professionally done. Weather conditions changed dramatically through the days there and the weather reports essentially were pretty erratic. On our way back from Vik we got hit with a storm that the car rental folks said was only the 4th time in the last 75 years it snowed with such fury this late in the season. Counted at least 15 cars along the way that needed to be pulled out of ditches. If you are traveling in hump seasons be sure to get road hazard protection. I did and fortunately did not have to use it. I think I included too many stops on the first day after an early morning arrival ( 5am) but better to over than under plan. Most of the hotels were very nice but small as are most in Europe. Breakfasts were very good with Langaholt the most unique, the Skuggi missing a warm bacon, egg, and sausage option. Accommodations at Hotel Vik and Langaholt quite plain, Geysir and Magma most scenic and well appointed hotel. Liked the B59 Hotel beds, nice and firm. Very much enjoyed the Freidheimar tomato lunch, and dinner at the Magma Hotel. Check in a breeze. With all the reviews and articles I read on Iceland I have to concur that layering -merino wool long johns- hiking boots, scarf, hats, and gloves especially to a 75 year old that does not enjoy cold weather were a must.

The Icelandic tour guides ( from Poland) were all very well informed and congenial so no complaints there. The people of Iceland have been able to stay focused on keeping their unique country environmentally beautiful clear of graffiti and litter and word of caution- watch out for scooters and bicycles.

TAKK

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Checked the box.

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Pretty strenuous activity

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personable/ knowledge

Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Lava Tunnel Tour

Iceland

Loved this experience,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you so much Silvia for everything! It was a trip of a lifetime!!

Our ten day trip to Iceland was very memorable where the tour arranged by Emanuela allowed us to see and do a lot in a very short time. The first thing that caught our eye was the beauty of Iceland. Emanuela arranged a car rental for us and we drove over a thousand miles where we saw lava fields, dozens of water falls, glaciers, gorgeous remote coastlines, and snow capped mountains.

Emanuela also arranged plenty of activities which engaged us and our teenage kids. This included snow mobiling, hikes, an ATV tour of the coastline, ice cave hikes, glacier hikes, and hikes at waterfall sites. It was a packed schedule but appreciated the nice hotels with warm cozy rooms, plenty of hot water, and good food.

We do recommend that if you travel to Iceland in the Spring to buy offshore sailing gear (foul weather gear). It rained 8 of the 10 days we were in Iceland and when the rain comes down sideways, it does sting. Good foul weather gear will protect you and keep you toasty.

Thank you so much Hanna for planning this memorable trip. Everything was meticulously planned as per our request. We went through many iterations to plan out what we wanted. Hanna's responses were quick and was always on top of things. She ensured that things such as vegetarian food etc in the remotest corner of Iceland were available. We had good support to handle our emergency issues when we landed there with flight cancellations and kid falling sick. They even handled refunds quite promptly. Tours were well arranged and convenient.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

The blue lagoon was an awesome experience. The water was so warm and refreshing. Its very comfortable in the water but can get super cold when out. Come handy with wet bags and swimsuit and change of clothes Lava restaurant was quite good. Definitely recommend going here if its your first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was quite accommodating in terms of timing.

Transport

We had the shuttle booked but due to flight delay ended up going directly from the airport in private car and then to hotel.

1st Day South Coast

Iceland

Troll expeditions was on time and Yohan was very friendly. Shared lots of tidbits about the country and place which was very interesting. The bus had wifi so was perfect. He made sure we had timely bathroom breaks, lunch and dinner. We were glad to find vegetarian options at every stop. Weather on day 1 wasnt great with rain and wind. So we went directly for glacier hiking with some stops based on weather. Glacier hiking and ice cave tour was great. Need to have good shoes, jacket, gloves, snow pants. Inspite of that we got wet and cold. Wish they would provide appropriate gear so its more pleasant experience. All our gear and shoes were completely wet and had to use hair dryer and paper to dry so we could use it next day. The guest house was basic but good food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, accommodating, changed plans as needed per weather.

Transport

Wifi, heated.

2nd Day South Coast

Iceland

Had fantastic day with visit to multiple falls, glacier lagoon, diamond beach, black sand beach, church etc. Guide planned it well to make best use of the warm sunny day. We had ample time in each place to see and not feel rushed. Group was very friendly as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Golden Circle & Horse Riding

Golden Circle

Golden circle tour was ok. The guide was little hard to comprehend and so tough to understand the information. Weather was not very cooperative either. Drive was comfortable. Falls were great. Geysers were nothing spectacular. We were eager to see the tectonic plates but again was hard to appreciate it completely without the guide info. Horse riding at Eldehaus farm was awesome. They provided all the right gear and ride itself was quite nice. My 9 year old enjoyed as well. The lunch was simple but good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide in Golden Circle tour could have been better in communication.

Transport

comfortable

Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

Iceland

We were most excited about it. Supposedly, we had moderate chance of seeing northern lights but we couldn't due to lingering clouds. Pick up was little late but guide was very informative. He did try to going to few locations to try to spot but didn't work out. They provide hot chocolate and cookie which was good. They did offer a free tour at later time but since it was our last day we couldnt really use it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

knowledgeable

Transport

comfortable and convenient

Lisbet was very responsive and helpful. We revised our trip several times to coordinate with friends. Lisbet was there at every turn to help us, always with patience and insight.

We were in Iceland in April for a series of concerts by the American band Wilco. We love the band, and a visit to Iceland is something we had on our bucket list, so it was natural. The first four days of our trip were spent traveling the sparsely populated South Coast, then back up through Thingvellier. The next four days were spent in Reykjavik.

Iceland is an amazing country, and we absolutely loved our visit. One might say we were a bit unlucky with the weather--lots of rain in April! But my wife and I felt we got a real taste of the combination of the incredible shifting microclimates and precipitation patterns against the landscape. We saw water in every form. We had blazing sun, near hurricane level wind with rain, dense fog, brilliant rainbows, ice caves, and hail. It was almost psychedelic. I would never have imagined that ice climbing by a volcano in the rain, with an avalanche (that made us turn back), would be so exhilarating. It was. Talk about feeling alive. Wow.

Favorite Hotel
360 Hotel: Anna and her husband run a beautiful and serene place. The food was superb. We'd go back there in a heartbeat

Favorite Destinations
- Black Sand Beach in Vik. The columnar basalt formations, the power of the sea, and the volcanic outcroppings made it a mythical place
- The Gullfoss waterfall
- Reykjavik's Harpa Center was also spectacular.

Favorite Food
- lamb stew
- licorice

Best Moves
- Go directly from the airport to the Blue Lagoon: totally refreshes after the international travel. Can't think of a better way to start any adventure than this
- Having the mobile wifi device that came with our car assured us that we would have excellent connectivity everywhere, so using Waze and accessing the internet was easy and especially appreciated when in remote areas
- Having truly waterproof outwear--total lifesaver (nothing like being prepared!)

Biggest Surprise
- Iceland is effectively a bi-lingual country. Everyone speaks English, and we never even needed to exchange currency

Final Thought
- Iceland is a complex and beautiful place we will surely visit again. Remember, as they say there, "It's not just cold; it's expensive."

We had such a wonderful time on this trip! I am so grateful to Emmanuala and her team. I could never have organized such a trip myself - to know where to stay and which activities to do. It took so much stress out of the planning. Every day had a program, and we stuck to it. The highlights were both the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon (beginning and end of the trip), and the ATV adventure. Even in the rain it was awesome! The fun surprises were the beautiful photos at Diamond Beach, the extra-strong winds at Dryhoemy (55 km/hr), the blue of the ice cave with the spring river rushing through it, and the wonderful food wherever we went. We were also impressed by Icelandic infrastructure and architecture - which really keeps out the cold! We missed out on the glacier walk because of the strong winds, and didn't get to see the northern lights - so perhaps we'll have to come back. Overall it was a wonderful experience that I would recommend to others.

Activity Reviews

ATV tour

Vík

This was fantastic! Not only is it fun to be on the ATV, but you see different landscapes - the black beach, the ocean, the valley the airplane... The guide stops and explains what you are seeing, and there are wonderful photo ops as well. This was our family's favorite thing that we did.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

Iceland

We got really lucky and saw humpback whales and several orcas and their babies. While it was awesome to see these creatures in the wild, the water was pretty choppy, and not for the faint of heart (or stomach). It is an outdoor boat - so cold, and there was competition for the best spots on the rails to get photos. I'd still recommend this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A big thanks to Francesca for the care in planning my trip to Iceland. This was my first international travel and it did not disappoint. Every checkin process was flawless. Accommodations were above what was expected. The excursions were a perfect match with my interests. I felt heard in the planning process. I would certainly use this service again!

Emanuela was great every step of the way! Response time was impeccable and to me that’s the most important sign of excellent service.

Francesca curated a memorable trip for my siblings and me. Iceland is breathtaking and Francesca found a way to organize our itinerary to allow us to see the amazing sights, hidden gems, and eat at wonderful food places in just 8 days. She added optional sights and experiences that turned out to be just as fascinating. Communication during the planning process as well as during the trip itself was efficient and accessible. We will definitely be using KimKim for our next vacation. Thank you Francesca for helping to introduce us to the beauty that is Iceland!

Hotel Reviews

Sel Guesthouse

This is a quaint guesthouse tucked away in a quiet area. We were able to see the northern. lights while staying here. The family-owned property was welcoming, quiet, and completely charming. Breakfast each morning was homemade and delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Such a charming aesthetic

Location

Close to many experiences and sights

Staff

Very friendly and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miðhraun Lava Resort

Stykkishólmur

This resort was beautiful inside and out. The staff was friendly and easily accessible. The living spaces were clean and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Staff

Staff is friendly and accessible. Breakfast was hand delivered ach morning by the sweetest woman.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

The living spaces were charming and the view was stunning. The staff at the hotel breakfast and dinner were pleasant and friendly. The food was also wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

This hotel is in a great location. The food was delicious and plentiful. The staff was helpful, often going above and beyond to make sure our stay was enjoyable. Staff helped us get a taxi and made recommendations for local experiences.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel

Location

Wonderful location for exploiting Reykjavik.

Staff

Knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly, and helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Reykjavik Northern Lights Cruise

Iceland

Great cruise, just didn’t see the lights at no fault of the crew. They do offer a voucher to return. Probably not worth it if you go during a time where the lights are easily visible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatnshellir lava cave tour

Iceland

This is one of our favorite experiences during the entire trip. The guide was knowledgeable and funny.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was fantastic!

Transport

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

This is very relaxing and less crowded than the Blue Lagoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Terry did a great job guiding our not quite winter and not quite spring trip. We loved being in the northern part of the country for a time- soaking and going dog sledding.

In the south we had terrific winds so our glacier experience was cancelled but the natural beauty along the coast did not disappoint.

Our itinerary was ambitious and Terry really helped map it all out and helped us get to all the places we wanted to see.

One small critique- Europ-Car did not have the Wi-Fi rental at the rental desk both times we rented from them and we had to take additional time to go to another office to get it. Both locations saw that it was on the reservation but did not bother to bring the device to the airport to give to us.

It was also not clear that we have limited Wi-Fi with the pucks they use. This was not a problem but it would have been nice to know that there was a limit on the number of GB we could use.

Jenny was responsive and understanding of most of what we were looking for during our time in Iceland. I was skeptical of some of the process and how the system and planning worked. Everything was so well coordinated and she was very responsive when we had one hiccup in Iceland. It was a terrific and busy trip that we won't soon forget! Thankful for KimKim and Jenny!

Activity Reviews

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Our tour guide Tate was amazing and made this a terrific experience we won't soon forget!

Quality of Experience

Small group, unique experience, adventurous, but safe!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tate was an expert, funny, and very personable

Transport

Myrdalsjokull glacier snowmobiling

Iceland

The only reason I give it 4 stars is because we didn't actually get to go on the snowmobiles due to a snow storm the day prior to our experience. The super jeep would not be able to pass through the snow. They had to pivot and take us on the ATVs. We were very disappointed, but had a really good time on the ATVs anyway. They did offer a full refund, scheduling a different day with snowmobiles as an alternative, but we couldn't schedule another day so we decided on the ATVs. It was still a terrific experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

One of the most amazing trips I’ve ever taken, all thanks to our fantastic specialist Guðmundur. He is top-notch, and I can not wait to book with him again when I return with my sister next year. We could not only see all the tourist highlights, but he also gave us many options to make our memories. Our hotels were spectacular, and we never had an issue with any bookings he made. He was always available to us to answer questions and offer assistance whenever we needed it, especially during our very small emergency.
One of my favorite tours was the ice caves and our tour guide, Palé. He spoke several languages and could communicate in both English and Spanish so everyone could listen; he got to know us all individually and helped us interact with each other.
Having to depart Iceland was immensely heartbreaking because there are many things to love, mainly the warmth of its people.💔🥲

Hotel Review

Apótek Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Apótek hotel is an excellent location for touring the city, a short distance from a parking garage, with spectacular accommodations, and breakfast buffet, and dinner.

Authenticity & Character

The design of the hotel was modern with very helpful and friendly front desk staff.

Location

It's close to all the main attractions

Staff

Very professional and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I was extremely comfortable and our rooms were spacious.

Activity Review

Hverir / Námafjall Geothermal Area

Iceland

Wonderful hidden secret with cordial staff. I'm so glad we got to experience this area.

Quality of Experience

It was very relaxing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tony the bartender gave me excellent recommendations for my return trip.

Transport

Gummie made sure we had everything we needed, and took very good care of us. Also thank you Silvia and Pauli. Pauli was the best tour guide at the Blue Ice Cave.