Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Great experience. One cannot possibly see all the country has to offer in a week. Our self guided travels took us from Akreyri in the north toward the eastern coast and back to Reykjavik. Without mentioning all places, we visited glaciers, waterfalls, seaports, geysers from a distance, and beautiful murals in Reykjavik. It was an extremely well organized
tour, and although there were a few glitches, all went well.

We loved our trip to Iceland and Adam was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The trip was very thought out by Adam and we enjoyed every single stop. We followed about 90% of Adam's itinerary as it was laid out. The places we stayed were very comfortable and the driving directions were top notch. We enjoyed Adam's recommendation of the ferry to West Fjords was very enjoyable. When we did have a problem, we called the emergency phone number and got an immediate response. The Reykjavik Food Walk and our guide Thor was very entertaining and delicious. We loved the walking tour through Reykjavik and even tried the fermented shark. We loved visiting all the waterfalls and the highlight for us was snorkeling in Sitka. The snorkeling was a fantastic experience. The sea kayaking and the guide that Adam booked was amazing. He took us to a really neat cave and it was a great experience. The mountain bike company that Adam recommended and booked us with were extremely friendly, helpful and a great bunch of individuals. We also enjoyed many of the optional activities that Adam recommended. Thank you so much Adam for an unforgettable and adventurous trip!

Our trip to Iceland was the third trip we have used Kim Kim to plan. We have never been disappointed. Adam was so helpful in putting together a trip that reflected us. He made sure we were prepared for the weather, the driving, and anything else that might come up. We appreciated how he put together a trip that was geared for us and not just for anyone going to Iceland. He offered several options for us, and we did several of them and enjoyed every one of them. The hotel accomodations were perfect and the breakfasts were wonderful. I'm glad he included one rather unconventional type of lodging that let us experience a differnt style of overnight that included a very interesting film about a local soccer player. He did run it by us before making the reservation so we would know it was a tad different. Great way to end our evening. Our last night accomodations in Reykevik were in a perfect location - close enough to walk to some fun local spots, and a short drive to the airport. Adam also made sure we had the perfect rental car for driving on the roads in the northwestern area and in the mountains.

Veronika was amazing. She wasn't just available prior to the trip but she answered promptly when we needed help and advice as some of our flights and travel plans had issues. We were always impressed with her availability and smooth ability to shift plans for us.

Activity Reviews

Seaside Horse Ride

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iceberg Ballet at Ilulissat Icefjord — A Close Encounter by Boat

Ilulissat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion

Iceland

Don't miss this experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adam was very responsive and was able to accommodate my last minute trip to Iceland during high season. He was wonderful navigating my needs and the realities of high season.

Best ever, we were able to drive around the entire Island and see all that we wanted. We had a great mix of tour guided adventures and hikes, exploring on our own. We really enjoyed the geo-thermal baths, and we ended up booking a few of our own along the way to relax each night. Gumi, was super organized and everything was perfectly planned. We stayed a nice places and the food suggestions were great. Loved our time and will forever cherish it.

We had a great and memorable trip and want to thank Adam for arranging it. In particular, he and Michele were very quick to respond when an airline flight cancellation delayed our arrival by one day. All of our reservations in Iceland worked out perfectly, and the recommended stops were well chosen.

The car rental was also trouble free and comfortable (Kia Sportage). We actually never used the WiFi device because we had continuous cell coverage everywhere (ATT). We did struggle a bit with the driving plans as rendered through Google and Apple Carplay. This combination got easily confused in its sequencing if we deviated slightly from the plan, requiring frequent reloading of the map. Having a map point for each of the suggested stops would help a lot to simplify things.

We also have a few specific highlights and suggestions for future consideration:

Landmannalaugar: We followed the Google drive plan to road F26, which is well travelled, and then were told to make a sharp right onto F208, which at that point appears rarely travelled and likely impassable without a high-clearance vehicle. The Google course line also followed F225 for part of the drive ,which our plans says to avoid. It was getting late in the day and rather than risk getting stuck we chose to backtrack to Highway 1. A much better solution in this area would be to include a series of GPS turn points, rather than depend on Google.

Hella to Vik: we really enjoyed Gluggafoss, which had hardly any other tourists. In contrast, Seljalandffoss was mobbed with people, and was in shadow when we arrived. However there is an equally nice waterfall facing Highway 1 just a few km to the east, with hardly any people (on a small pull-out). We also stopped at Eyjafjallajokul Bakery on the highway for lunch; they have good sandwiches and plenty of parking and a WC.

Vik to Hofn: closer to Vik we found the “moss heath” very interesting (thick moss growing on basalt). We also liked the glacial lagoon and Diamond Beach. Hofn may once have been the lobster capital of Iceland it’s not anymore. Harvesting was recently prohibited due to over-fishing. We had a nice dinner at Otto’s but lobster was not on the menu.The hotel in Hofn was fine but oddly configured–no elevator, and you have to carry your bags up one flight of stairs and then down another, even if your room is on the ground floor. The staff does offer to do it for you however.

Hofn to Egilsstadir: As a geologist I found the Blabjorg green ignimbrite very interesting. I would suggest a slight modification of the descriptive text, to emphasize its origin from glowing hot clouds of ash, broken rock fragments, and gases that rushed down the slope of a volcano. This is similar to what covered Pompei in 79 AD. Petra’s stone museum was also interesting for its very large and diverse collection.

Some of the recommended restaurants in Egilsstadir were closed, but the hotel restaurant was quite good. We also visited the Hallormsstadur forest south of town. This was a nice contrast to the other areas, and we enjoyed taking a short hike on the trails through the trees.

Egilsstadir to Lake Myvatn: This was our favorite area due to the varied volcanic landscape. You might add to the description of the Grjotagj spring that it is inside a lava tube! We also liked the Krafla geothermal area and crater and the Dimmuborgir lava towers. Hotel Laxa was our favorite hotel of the trip; we had beautiful picture-window views of the surrounding landscape from our room. We were also lucky to see a nice display of Northern Lights.

The private volcanic tour near Husavik was excellent; our guide Gunnar was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. He is a local native and we liked getting to know a real Icelander! We also visited Dettifoss but the water was very muddy, making for a less appealing brown waterfall.

Lake Myvatn to Laugarbakki: Godafoss waterfall was one of our favorites. This drive also crossed a lot of very dramatic glacial landforms such as U-shaped valleys in the mountains. Hotel Laugarbakki looks a bit run-down from the outside but the interior looked like it has been freshly renovated. We had a very nice 2-room suite. Our second-favorite hotel.

Laugarbakki to Reykjavik: The hotel was fine aside from some traffic noise (room facing the street). Its location was perfect however, and we had a nice dinner a block away at Garazie Trattoria. The helicopter tour was fantastic! We also visited Sky Lagoon and enjoyed it despite the cold 65 kph wind gusting over the water. A nice end-point to the trip and a chance to relax before the flight home.

FANTASTIC
Accommodations were all good; Hofsstadir Country Hotel was excellent.
Daily itineraries were very helpful; optional activities were great so we could pick and choose.
Map points were super helpful.
We added a hike at Hallormsstadur Forest - turned out to be one of our favorite things.
Ferry ride was interesting/fun and the zodiac boat tour was a big hit.
We would absolutely return to Iceland and use Rinolda as our travel specialist.

Activity Review

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Guide patiently waited in one spot until a piece of glacier fell off!

Eva with KimKim was amazing to work with. Having a locally based travel expert in Iceland gave us the confidence that our trip would be well-planned. Eva was super responsive and planned a trip that was tailored perfectly to our travel style. When our flight to Iceland got weather-delayed, causing us to miss the first day of activities, Eva jumped into action, helping us figure out how to make the most of the trip. Without Eva’s help, planning the itinerary would have been a difficult task. Thank you for a great trip, Eva. We highly recommend KimKim and in particular, Eva in Iceland.

I was looking for help booking a trip to Iceland, and Lisbet was really great to work with. She recommended excursions and attractions that were unique and tailored to our preferences. We made amazing memories that will last a lifetime thanks to her help! We especially loved the thermal hot springs in Hvammsvik, Loki tours whale watching, and the active geothermal areas like Geysir. Lisbet responded very quickly to all messages and questions. All of the arrangements were made for us, which made life so much easier. We had no issues with our bookings, including rental car, 3 different hotels, and a few activities. I will definitely use kimkim again.

Great trip, the Kim Kim team did an excellent job coordinating! Would be glad to use them again.

Adam was an outstanding specialist! very proactive, available anytime and well knowledeable of Iceland. We had a great time in Iceland doing the 10 day ring road!

My husband and I recently returned from a road trip to Iceland and it could not have been better!

KimKim Travel and Adam, our tour designer, took care of everything from start to finish. Adam tailored the trip to our timeframe and interests. He patiently answered all of our questions. The itinerary included well known stops, as well as “hidden gems.” We ate at local restaurants and stayed at amazing hotels, with delicious breakfasts.

KimKim (Adam) made travel planning simple and stress-free. They made us feel like we had relatives in Iceland! Thank you!!

This is my second time working with Kim Kim to plan an overseas trip and the service and my local travel coordinator Gummi again exceeded our expectations.

Gummi was super knowledgeable about both typical and off the beaten path excursions and planned a great itinerary for us based on our preferences. He was very responsive to our needs - before and during travel. Gummi secured all of our accommodations (combo of hotels and air bnbs) and excursions and also offered a ton of restaurant recommendations. All were amazing!!

Iceland was an outsiders/travelers dream. And working with Kim Kim allowed us to quickly plan a custom, unforgettable vacation! I love how they can accommodate a mix of low, mid and high end budgets and preferences and the local knowledge of the travel coordinators is a huge plus. Their travel coordinators are intimately familiar with the locations you are visiting.

Activity Review

Reykjavík Food Walk

Iceland

A lot of fun, excellent guide, highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I did not feel Eric was as easy to work with as Mar who I was working with at the same time planning the first part of the trip in Norway.

I found Eric’s 100% reliance on technology, specifically google maps, and not providing a backup - specifically names or addresses prohibited me from experiencing as much as I would have hoped.

At one point google maps completely failed - I was in my way to a planned and paid for experience car and it told me to do u-turn. It was unable to course correct and I missed the 5 hour glacier hike (I would like to discuss a refund for that please).

The few links I tried for the optional additional activities either did not work at all for me, or I were things I tried too late since I was too far away. Had his directions been more clear, such as where within the route the add one made sense, I could and would have seen and done far more.

When food options s are far away, it would have been appreciated if that could have been shared up front. One night we were left with no option for food other than a gas station. Finally at one location the itinerary said breakfast was included, but it made no sense to me so I sent a note asking - granted it was late. I received a response well after we had left and while food was supposed to be delivered for breakfast (makes no sense to me since food preferences were not asked) we had a long drive ahead and left before that happened (between 7:30 and 8 am).

Overall I enjoyed Iceland but know that I missed a lot that I did not have to miss. So I am disappointed but still enjoyed the trip

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

This was absolutely fantastic and Avi was an amazing guide. I would so highly recommend this activity!!!

Quality of Experience

It was an easy hike and gave a fantastic experience for all

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Avi was fantastic!

Transport

It did the job but was only ok

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

This was a lovely experience at the end of the day. The facilities were clean and it was lovelt

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching in Akureyri

Iceland

The crew was absolutely fabulous and constantly made sure we knew that their focus was not disturbing the whales.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excellent communication, Eric followed our outline and provided great suggestions for optional activities. All reservations came through perfectly without a hitch.

Activity Review

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Beautiful location, soothing clear waters. Infinity-like pook looking out to the North Atlantic Ocean. Walk up bar a nice feature as is the extra option of the mineral mask, salt scrub. I liked this venue more than the Blue Lagoon. Locker rooms well designed.

Quality of Experience

We had a great time. Veronika listen carefully to requests and plan to trip that was just our pace. We got to see lots of stuff without wearing the kids out too much. A personal favorite was the ice cave tour with Federico. He was funny, knowledgeableand fun and we had a great time learning about glaciers.

We really enjoyed our time in Vik. It was a beautiful little town and it was nice too stay in the same room for two nights in a row. Restaurants and supermarket were very close to our room, so it was easy to pick up extra food etc.

For us, there was just enough hiking to keep things fun and interesting without wearing us out on any particular day. Hotel accommodations were what we expected in the free breakfast each morning was nice.

Rental car was easy and convenient and Veronica was accessible when we needed her.

Hotel Review

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Spacious room and its convenient to local restaurants in supermarkets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Federico was tons of fun and informative. He's very knowledgeable about glaciers and kept the trip educational and exciting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned home from the most phenomenal adventure in Iceland, and cannot thank our specialist Eric enough for crafting such a jam-packed, memorable itinerary for our family! Eric took all our must see spots and built a trip that was not only logistically efficient, but also delivered all the highlights within the timeframe we had available. I have built many travel itineraries over the years and can confidently say, there is no way I could have come up with an equivalent experience on my own. The first hand knowledge and insight Eric shared, his prompt responses to all our questions as we approached our departure date, and the tours & accommodations he recommended and booked were perfect. With the countless travel blogs & social media groups online, attempting to build a personalized, self-guided itinerary is incredibly overwhelming & time consuming. The service Eric provided made this process both easy & enjoyable, and saved us so much time & stress. Having just experienced the highlights of Iceland, we can sincerely say, our itinerary delivered the most incredible, memorable experience for our family - there isn't a thing I'd change about the trip Eric built - so thank you Eric!!

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

The Blue Lagoon was an incredible experience. The geothermal waters were so relaxing, and the setting was just beautiful. The kids had a blast, and it was a great way to start our trip. It was a bit pricey, but totally worth it for the unique experience.

Kayaking tour under Mount Kirkjufell

Iceland

We loved the kayaking tour under Mount Kirkjufell. The scenery was stunning, and being on the water gave us a unique perspective of the iconic mountain. It felt intimate and less touristy, which we really appreciated.

Both the Golden Circle tour and the Fire and Ice tour were informative and well planned. Thy were run by Hidden Iceland. The Reykjavik Food and Culture tour was also very good. Driving in Iceland is super easy, and Eva gave us all of our map coordinates, which was very helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Odinsve

Reykjavik

The location is perfect! Right in the center of a residential and tourist friendly section of Reykjavik. We walked to everything! The bus stop for our tours was right up the street. Plenty of cafes, coffee shops, and shops nearby. We stayed here for 3 nights at the beginning of our trip. We were not happy with the room we were given. It was old and drab, with a very small bathroom and stall shower. We stayed again the last night of our trip and were pleasantly surprised to get a much nicer and updated room and bathroom. I would definitely request a newer, renovated room! The buffet breakfast was fine, but they seemed understaffed, because the food platters were often empty and we had to ask them to put out more food.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms are very bare. Maybe add some artwork and comfortable seating.

Location

Staff

Most were helpful. One was not very friendly when we arrived after an overnight flight and inquired about a check in earlier than 3:00.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a very small and sparse room and bathroom. Not very comfortable. Room 201. The hotel should charge less for this room. The beds were comfortable.

Fosshotel Stykkisholmur

Stykkishólmur

We loved this hotel! The front desk staff was very helpful and friendly. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The breakfast buffet was plentiful, and the staff in the restaurant was very attentive. Our dinner here was also excellent. We enjoyed the happy hour as well! We liked being able to walk to everything in town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Reykjavík Culture and Food Walk Tour

Reykjavík

The meeting spot was easy to walk to. We went to 5 different spots and tried many different dishes. Our guide, Jenny, was entertaining and informative. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

GOLDEN CIRCLE: PLATINUM TOUR

Reykjavík

Enjoyed all activities on this tour! Secret Lagoon was peaceful and rejuvenating. Tomato farm was educational and lunch was yummy. Gulfoss waterfall was unbelievable. Our tour guide wasn’t as informative as I would have liked, but otherwise it was a great tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide wasn’t as informative as I had hoped

Transport

Very comfortable and new tour busses.

South Coast — Fire & Ice Tour | Small group

Reykjavík

This tour guide provided a lot of information which was very helpful. He drove carefully through some difficult weather. Black sand beach was super windy and rainy, but we persevered! Lava show was cool, and our guide wisely had us order our lunch before the show so it would be ready when the show was over. It was great to have an experienced guide who could be sure everything ran smoothly!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gerduberg Basalt Cliffs

Iceland

This is a quick stop. Only do it if it is on your way to something else. We only stayed for a few minutes.

Quality of Experience

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

This lava cave was a cool experience. The guide was OK. not great. Be prepared to climb up and down some steep steps and be deep underground. Also wear sturdy shoes. Don’t go if you are claustrophobic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Deildartunguhver

Iceland

Small area to view. Not a lot to see or do here after you view the hot spring area, which takes about 5 minutes. The best surprise was the Krauma Day Spa which is on site. We had a lovely lunch in the restaurant there. Unfortunately, we were not aware of the spa ahead of time so we didn’t take advantage of the soaking pools.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

The Trip was fantastic. The sites and food recommendation was spot on. We loved how everything was planned out each day. Especially since we did a lot of driving, so it was great to have a pre loaded itinerary with google maps. There was a lot of information that our guide gave us with regards to the sites and restaurants. We had total freedom to pick and choose where we went and what we saw. the tours were very fun and the local guides were so nice and accommodating.

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

clean and comfy

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skuggi Hotel Reykjavík by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Great Hotel. Clean and comfy. Breakfast was ok.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Stykkisholmur

Stykkishólmur

Very nice hotel. Clean and amazing breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel South Coast

Selfoss

Clean and comfy

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

very relaxing and staff were very nice. Love how quiet it is.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatnshellir lava cave tour

Iceland

Very cool and guide was very funny

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

delicious !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavik Food Walk

Reykjavík

Got to experience some cool restaurants and food. One stop was a hotdog. Could of had something else there since thats so easy to get . Other than that our guide was great and food was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

Great guide and staff. Wish it was longer. really cool experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Great hike with amazing scenery. wasnt really a cave tour. More of a glacier hike. We went in a tunnel of ice for like 5 seconds. Still great to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puffin watching tour at the Ingolfshofdi cape

Iceland

Scenery was surreal. Got really close to the puffin. I wish i had my professional camera.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport