Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Best excursion was visiting the ice caves with David! He was knowledgeable, funny, and extremely safety oriented. We all felt comfortable and got to experience the awesome beauty of the caves. All of the hotels recommended from Silvia were clean and in great locations. The staff was extremely attentive to our needs. Silvia was great! She checked in with us throughout the trip and reassured us when the gasoline strike occurred. She kept us informed of weather reports and was flexible with our reservations when needed. We would highly recommend!

Hotel Review

Berjaya Hotel Vík

Vík

The staff woke us up at night (with our permission) when the Northern Lights were visible so we didn’t miss anything!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The front desk staff was exceptionally nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silvia was available nearly 24/7, quickly had answers to all my questions, big and small, had an easy and detailed knowledge of travel, of Iceland (where we visited), of services and culture, etc., and was able to get some discounts on local activities/services while we were there.

We could not be more happy with both Kimkim and Silvia!

Seven day action-packed trip to Iceland would not have been possible without the help of Silvia at KimKim. She worked out a fantastic itinerary: 2 days based in Borgarnes, 2 days in Vic, a fantastic night at a cabin in the Hrifunes Nature Park (great venue for Northern Lights!), finally 2 days in Reykajavik. We had pre-paid vouchers for everything and Silvia worked with us ahead of the trip to make sure we were hitting everything we wanted to see.
More important: Silvia kept in touch throughout the trip and when bad weather caused us to cancel a trip east to Skaftafell, she had alternatives for us and handled all the rebookings. Loved the constant check-in and help with everything.
We will definitely use KimKim again and "where to go next" will be determined on where KimKim operates. We saved money with KimKim and had a fabulous time. Thanks!

The trip was amazing although Beth did all the pre planning with Silvia. I wasn’t involved in that. So appreciated the regular contact to make sure that everything was going well. Also Silvia was able to switch things for us when we were delayed. Also kept us updated on the strike situation. Would definitely recommend Silvia to anyone

Also, our guide David who took us to the ice caves out of Vik was excellent. Would give him a 5 star review

Had a wonderful Golden Circle trip with Prokop and an amazing South Coast tour with Toby. Kids loved off roading in the land rover en route to the ice cave. Spent a rainy afternoon at Perlan, which was very interesting. The strike of the restaurant and housekeeping workers was a bit disappointing, but nothing we can do about that!
Overall a great trip and we would return, hopefully in the summer to see puffins and whales.
Thank you very much!

My May trip was one of the best and most exciting adventure travel I have had in many years and it was all because of Terry! She was an amazing trip guide, counselor and expert. Nothing went wrong, she was always available to help with clarification or make suggestions. I will use Kim Kim again for planning - their thoughtful and thorough knowledge of the country (and other place) makes them a go-to resource for travel and adventure!

Terri and Kim Kim made all our dreams come true! Trip of a lifetime made easy with their help and service. Every wish granted… every desire met, and done so with kindness and grace. Thank you for everything! Couldn’t have had such a fabulous trip without Terri and crew! If I could hug a company and a travel planner extraordinaire, I would!

Hotel Reviews

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

The front desk staff made us feel welcome and at home. We used it as a home base, checking in and out as we toured various parts of Iceland. They stored luggage, helped with arranging taxis as well as making recommendations with smiles and kindness! Restaurant staff was equally amazing! Thank you all for making our dreams come true!!

Authenticity & Character

The history of the build was quite interesting

Location

It was close to everything we were interested in but wished the tour buses could have come directly to hotel.

Staff

Front desk was consider and super accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything!

Hotel Borgarnes

Borgarnes

The room was large by Icelandic and the bed was extremely comfortable!

Staff

The feeling

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adventure Hotel Hof

Hof

Arriving cold and tired to find that the reservation was incorrect and front desk said he did not have authority to make a change despite us having a printed copy of our confirmed reservation. The guide had to call the tour company and let their representative speak to front desk before the error could be corrected. Also there are no elevators to accommodate guests with mobility issues

Authenticity & Character

That it was away from city light

Location

Staff

Except for front desk personnel, everyone was super accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely room and comfie c

Buubble Hotel Ölvisholt

Selfoss

The bed was so very comfie. Loved being able to watch the light from snug and warm in bed was incredible

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

None present

Cleanliness & Comfort

I bit of explanation on how to warm the bubble/bed would have been helpful

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching from Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Even though it was cold, we loved every minute of it!!

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

Staff was very helpful and the facility was clean and accommodating The lagoon was beautiful and the entire experience was incredible

Quality of Experience

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Went out of their way to make the experience phenomenal

Transport

The guide was most helpful

Dog Sledding

Iceland

The entire experience was beyond our expectations! The people running the tour were joyful and extremely accommodating! Loved every minute of it

Quality of Experience

Beyond expectations

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful and kind

Transport

Two day/one night Snaefellsnes & West Iceland tour

Iceland

The trip to the horse farm was worth the trip

Quality of Experience

Seeing the lights

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Martin was our guide and his care and concern for the comfort of the travelers was excellent!

Transport

When there are many people on the tour, the Bus is really tight when wearing all the winter coats and such

Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

Iceland

The lights showed up at first stop. That was amazing

Quality of Experience

Successful sighting of the lights

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was one of the rudest people I have ever met. In addition, his Russian accent was very very heavy making it almost impossible to understand. He is clearly in the wrong profession

Transport

Difficult to get in/out in ice and the driver was not very helpful with that

Two day/one night South Coast tour - Day 1

Iceland

Well planned and beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and mst helpful

Transport

Full Day Tour to Reykjanes Peninsula & Blue Lagoon (Super Jeep)

Iceland

What made this trip was the driver who made many accommodations for three not so young travelers with some mobility issues !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was Sims who was extremely kind and thoughtful. He was knowledgeable and his English was impeccable! He went way above and beyond to make our trip extraordinary! Thank you

Transport

It was quite comfortable, and Sims took a step stool with us to make getting in and out of the big bad awesome jeep easy!!

Golden Circle, Secret Lagoon & Bubble Tour

Iceland

Outstanding experience

When setting out to plan our honeymoon we ran across Kimkim. Having never heard of it before we were a bit skeptical, but we are so glad we did some research and committed! Having someone on your side to book events and offer optional sightseeing advice was amazing. With our busy schedules we would have never had the time to research Iceland in this depth.

Silvía was amazing in helping to plan our trip, as well as with helping coordinate several last minute changes during our trip. Because of her invaluable help, we were able to see everything we hoped for and many places we would have otherwise missed.

Silvía handled everything from the car rental to booking hotels and activities that require advance ticketing, making the entire process easy and stress free.

We began our trip to Iceland by picking up our rental car and immediately setting off for a winter snorkeling session in a national park, followed by a dip into a nearby hot spring, Secret Lagoon.

The second day was filled with sightseeing waterfalls and a snow mobile ride on a glacier.

The next day, we explored natural ice caves and Diamond Beach.

Our 4th day was spent in Reykjavik, relaxing at the Sky Lagoon and exploring much of the city.

Day 5 we attempted to search out the northern lights. Although it wasn’t a good night for the lights, we were able to check out several restaurants and tried some traditional Icelandic cuisine.

The hotels each night were very nice and accommodating, often with their own restaurants with great food.

We would recommend this trip, especially with Silvia’s help, to anyone. Without her help, we would not have experienced nearly as much as we did.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Clean, modern, and friendly staff. The hotel’s restaurant was great! We had the artic char and lamb shank, both were delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Loved the stone and glass contrast.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Clean hotel with friendly staff. The cocktails at the hotels bar were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Silfra Snorkeling – Dive Between Continents in Crystal Clear Waters

Iceland

Our guide Eeva was great! Very friendly and easy to talk to. It was surprisingly warmer in the water than out! A fun experience I am they were able to reschedule for us (due to flight delay)!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Myrdalsjokull glacier snowmobiling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hunting the Northern Lights with a Guide -Private tour

Iceland

We didn’t see any of the lights, but still had a good time trying. Our guide was very friendly and offered new knowledge of Iceland!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had our first trip with Kim Kim to Iceland and Emanuela Grieco was our travel designer.

By providing her our must and nice to see, she was able to coordinate a trip itinerary that ensure we maximize our time in the country and we were able to do and see all we wanted. Her experience and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. She was very attentive and responsive before and during the trip.

The hotel selection was comfortable and with a great location to walk around to the recommended places of the city. She provided a written itinerary, inclusive of sightseeing and restaurants suggestions. If you are coming to Iceland, Emanuela is your person.

Activity Reviews

Ice cave tour and back to Reykjavik - Day 2

Iceland

This has a great experience, hiking in the glacier and learning about its changes provides perspective.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kostas was our tour guide and he was patient with the team understanding the different people needs.

Transport

South Coast on small group tour - Day 1

Skaftafell

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was Asi from Troll Experiences and we was very attentive, telling stories about the locations, changing music based the place or story he was telling and knowledgeable of questions we had.

Transport

Snorkeling at Silfra fissure

Selfoss

The snorkeling experience is a unique one, however the preparation period during the cold weather was difficult. The companies managing this tour should be able to attend this process better for the group as well for the guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eva was an excellent resource before and during the trip when things didn't go exactly according to plan. I highly recommend her, as well as Sky Lagoon, the Lava Tunnel, the Lava Show in Vik, and driving around the magical landscape that is Iceland.

Hotel Reviews

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Thoughtful, funky decor, great food and excellent hospitality.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Berjaya Hotel Vík

Vík

Excellent restaurant. Rooms functional, but not much more. Staff less friendly / hospitable than elsewhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Tour

Iceland

Tour guide, Soleil, was informative and charming. Lava tunnel was impressive. A unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Icelandic Lava show

Iceland

Fascinating experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Katla Ice Cave- under the Volcano

Iceland

This tour was a negligent disaster from start to finish. A 3 hour tour that consumed 9+ hours. The van was not properly equipped to handle the snow on the way to the cave. Consequently we got stuck and were pulled out dozens of times. It took over 6 hours to get to the ice cave after the sun had already gone down. During that time the driver provided no updates and refused to turn around even after being asked to do so when it had become apparent that we were well beyond the time allotted for the tour. At the ice cave we were not provided with either the helmets or head lamps other groups were using. As a result, we fumbled around in the dark. And the only provisions were one snack size bag of peanuts and a snack size bag of raisins that were shared by 13 people. We were towed out the entire way to the road, otherwise it would have taken us the same amount of time to get out of there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot speak highly enough of the team at kimkim based in Iceland. During the planning phase, Francesca was highly communicative, accommodating, and responsive. Then, when we arrived in the midst of a blizzard and subsequent wind storm that forced all roads to close for 24+ hours, Sigurour was a godsend, helping us cancel and book and rebook and reroute all of the planned activities and hotel reservations that had to be changed without warning. He advised us on when and where to go, what to see, what to skip, etc. and was consistently available to respond to ever-shifting circumstances. I am a very experienced traveler, having lived abroad for most of my adult life, and juggling the logistics of this trip due to weather were beyond me. I am deeply grateful and appreciative for the flexibility, responsiveness, and kindness of the entire kimkim team and will treasure my memories of the adventure for a lifetime.

This trip was everything I hoped it would be. Lisbet was very responsive to our numerous questions and clarifications. Patient and very clear. She accommodated all our requests with ease. We hoped to meet her, but alas she was on vacation when we were on vacation. Good for her! But, I did have a small tremor about her not being available while we were in Iceland. No worries! I left a glove behind on a tour and contacted KimKim. Immediate response! I highly recommend KimKim!

Hotel Review

Hotel Ísland – Spa & Wellness Hotel

Reykjavík

We loved Hotel Island! Note - the pronunciation is “Iceland” or “eslanf”. Not I-land!

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved NOT being in the “tourist” section of Reykjavík!

Staff

Our staff recognized us and engaged us in authentic conversation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apparently we needed a ton of pillows. No problem! The beds were very comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

No matter the hype - go to the Blue Lagoon - it lives up to the hype!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We did this upon arrival. We were feeling overwhelmed and tired. The staff were very patient and helpful.

Transport

Katla Ice Cave from Reykjavik

Reykjavík

I am so glad I did this. Mind you , it was hard and sometimes scary. But, ever so stunning!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff and fellow travelers were extremely helpful!

Transport

Golden Circle & Farm Visit

Golden Circle

The waterfalls you get to see are beyond stunning.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I think we learned the most about Iceland and Icelanders from oor guide.

Transport

Whale Watching from Reykjavík

Reykjavík

We spotted 2 humpbacks about 10 minutes from leaving the dock! Holy cow!

Working with KimKim (and Duncan in particular) was great! This trip was our first time using kimkim and our first time visiting Iceland. Duncan was very responsive to our requests and planned a great introductory trip to Iceland, including some must-see stops plus some stops off the beaten path. We especially enjoyed Mosfellsbakarí, Sky Lagoon, and Seljalandsfoss. We would've loved to stay longer at 360 Hotel & Thermal Baths. Overall, it was an amazing and memorable trip. I'm looking forward to revisiting Iceland and using kimkim again for all my future travel planning.

Duncan was a dream to work with. Our trip was meticulously planned and laid out for us. All we had to do was follow it. We appreciated Duncan checking in during the trip to ensure things were going well. When we requested to change a planned event, he was quick to cancel for us. We would definitely work with Dunan and KimKim again!

Iceland has been our favourite travel destination so far with its extraordinary experiences. We worked with Jenny for the last 5-6 months to plan the itinerary. She was supportive and patient while listening to our interests and suggested a trip plan accordingly. I was very keen on seeing the Northern lights and thankfully she booked the ‘superjeep tour’ for us instead of the regular bus tour as it was faster and we could do off-roading. The tour was booked on the second last day of our trip, however after my request it was rescheduled to the first day in order to maximise our chances of viewing them. We were so lucky that we saw the lights on the first day itself, that too within 30 minutes of meeting the tour operator. The experience made all the difference to our Iceland trip. The other tours – Golden Circle, South Coast 2-day tour and dog sledding – were all amazing. The suggestion of booking a two-day South Coast trip was a great one by Jenny. It included glacier hiking which was wonderful. We had told her early on to avoid a strenuous hike and so she had booked accordingly.

One of our feedbacks would be to have a whatsapp group in order to enable quicker communication during our stay in Iceland. We had one when we went to Greece with kimkim last year and that was super helpful. Also, it took a long time to receive a final itinerary because of weather-related concerns, which made us nervous. But ultimately it all worked out and we are thankful to Jenny and the team for their hard work and for organising an amazing trip for us. Iceland is truly one of a kind.

Thank you,
Nilanjana and Cody

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

Iceland

This tour was definitely the cherry on top of the cake. The guide (Hjortur with Arctic Adventures) was funny and knowledgeable. He took us straight to a breathtaking view of Northern Lights within 30 minutes of picking us up from our hotel. The hot chocolate was spot on. We are glad Jenny booked the superjeep tour as it was faster, more efficient and we could do off-roading and go to places where a regular bus wouldn't. The aurora forecast was just moderate but the lights turned out more than spectacular and we consider ourselves very lucky. We are glad we booked this tour on the first night of our trip because it kept raining continuously the last three days of our stay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skaftafell Ice Cave Tour & Glacier Walk

Iceland

The name of our mountain guide from Troll expeditions was Sighvatur. He is 68 years old but very fit and active. He guided us very well through the glacier. The weather forecast showed rain on the second day of the two-day South Coast tour so he wisely scheduled the glacier hike on the first day of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dog Sledding

Iceland

The dog sledding was exhilarating and every bit as good as we imagined. We were concerned about the lack of snow but it proved to be just as wonderful. Jenny was quick to rebook us on dry land when the tour company said there would not be any snow.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

This is definitely a must-do in Iceland.

We visited Iceland in November 2022 and our trip was planned by Terry. Terry was extremely helpful throughout the planning process and provided us with great suggestions to make our trip memorable. She was extremely attentive and provided prompt responses to our queries. She gave us all information to help us prepare for the trip.

We were also given a local contact Sigurdur who sorted out tour cancellations quickly making our experience less stressful. We would like to say a big thank you to Terry and Sigurdur for helping us plan the most memorable trip and we will be recommending Kim Kim to our friends who would like to visit Iceland in the future 😊

This was the best trip of our lives! The travel agent, Terry, was amazing and planned our trip to the fullest extent possible! We will use her again in the future!

Activity Reviews

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Kayak

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was amazing!

Transport

Perfect!

East Glacial River Whitewater Rafting

Iceland

This was the best thing we've ever done!

Quality of Experience

Absolutely breathtaking!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Viking rafting was phenomenal!

Transport

Perfect!

My sister and I had an amazing adventure driving all around Iceland. We are sure to come back as there is so much to see in this beautiful country.

My wife and I had the most amazing trip to Iceland, and that was because of KimKim and our specialist Terry.

Having never travelled to Iceland, I contacted KimKim to help us with our travel. I could not have been more pleased. They assigned us our very own specialist (Terry) and she was communicative, eager to help, professional, and super, super nice. I gave Terry some broad-stroke ideas about the types of things we wanted to do as well as the parameters (like days there, activity levels, and other logistical ideas), and Terry took those ideas and provided me with a fantastic draft plan.

Terry was very willing to work with me on refining the plan, and the end result was absolutely phenomenal.

We traveled for five days, four nights, staying two nights apiece at Hotel Ranga and Hotel Apotek. We saw a lava tunnel, stunning waterfalls, craters, geothermal areas, gorgeous landscapes, the city Reykjavik, and a couple spas. All of it was perfect. The two highlights were the ice cave near Vik and Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik.

More so, the planning done by Terry and KimKim was SO smart. The driving directions Terry provided us with ensured our travels were not only full of adventure but also smartly designed. This was actually the key to KimKim's success on our trip - they planned everything to my design and desire and set my wife and I up for success with a smartly designed plan.

I will admit was a little hesitant to do a self-guided tour (KimKim has other options too), but KimKim made it so easy and so wonderful that those fears and anxieties of being in a new country were immediately resolved.

Anytime I travel, I'm going to use KimKim. One of the top trips in my entire life. And, my wife was thrilled (:

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Rangá

Hella

PHENOMENAL hotel!! Super friendly, professional, and terrific facility. Restaurant was out of this world, but you do need a reservation (can be made early in day). My wife and I found out the hard way and there were no seats available until later in the evening, but the staff immediately rallied and served us dinner upstairs. I could not believe the service. Best hotel staff I've ever experienced. In addition to the staff, the hotel has a service where you can be alerted to Northern Lights when they appear, increasing your odds of seeing them! I would recommend Hotel Ranga to anyone. Phenomenal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

great opportunity to see northern lights

Staff

Phenomenal staff - best I've ever experienced.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apótek Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Hotel Apotek has the perfect location in Reykjavik - right in the center of downtown, walking distance to everything. Very friendly staff and GREAT rooms. Be aware, because Hotel Apotek is downtown, the parking can be very tough (no parking garage or lot). That said, the staff was willing to help me with figuring out Iceland's parking app and even brought my bags up to my room while I searched for parking. Hotel Apotek has a restaurant, and the breakfast buffet is the best I've ever had. Great choices to fill us up before exploring the city. No uber in Iceland, but the staff of Hotel Apotek helped us whenever we needed a taxi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location. Right in the middle of everything.

Staff

Super friendly and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleaning crew for the hotel was outstanding.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Was a great first stop in Iceland! Arrived in Iceland at 6a and headed straight there. Was super dark and cold and miserable outside, but the lagoon itself was warm. Staff not overly friendly, but the amentities were nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lava Tunnel Tour

Iceland

Good stop! Very cool to see. Guide was phenomenal. Tour was very good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secret Ice Cave

Iceland

This was the best tour we did in Iceland, and perhaps one of the best we've done in the world (rivals a nature tour we did in Costa Rica). The guides are PHENOMENAL. The views are unreal. It feels like it is totally different planet than Earth. Absolutely loved this tour.

Quality of Experience

Unbelievable tour. One of the two best activities I've done on holiday in the world.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best tour operators / guides of every activity we did in Iceland

Transport

Fun super jeep travel to get out to the glacier! My wife has motion sickness, and the ride was bumpy, but the team put her (and another tourist) in the front row and both were ok.

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

This was the best spa I've ever experienced in all my world travels (we've been to 15+ countries). The staff are super friendly and professional. Definitely recommend the Sky package. This is where we saw the Northern Lights. Perfect for us on our last night in Iceland. Because Sky Lagoon is on a peninsula outside Reykjavik, it's a great way to see the Northern Lights.

Quality of Experience

Unbelievable experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly staff

Transport

I wanted to go to Iceland and had no idea how to plan the trip. Janel did a great job of putting together a trip for my son and me that was just about perfect! Kimkim was so responsive, even helped us make changes once we wee in the country. We got to snorkel, ice caves were perfect and Blue Lagoon on the last day was the perfect end to a beautiful trip.