Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Our trip to Iceland in July 2022 was absolutely amazing. Terry did a spectacular job putting the trip together. Each day had plenty to do and we never felt that we had to rush to accomplish what she had planned for the day. The daily driving plans worked great with the GPS unit provided by the rental car company. All of the hotels were nice with friendly staff. We saw so many amazing things but the Puffins on the Westman Islands were my favorite! Truly an amazing trip. Highly recommend

Working with KimKim was a fantastic way to plan a trip to Iceland when I didn't have much time to do the research myself. Terry incorporated all of the activities my daughter and I wanted to engage in, and everything went smoothly (well, except for the weather). I especially liked that KimKim provided us with an in-country, emergency number because that simplified the process of getting help when our mobile wifi suddenly stopped working. I loved the way that Terry and that Preeti kept checking in on us, and I liked knowing that the KimKim staff would let us know if weather cancelled any of our events. If I have any complaint, it would be that it might have been nice for us to have been offered a few choices (along with information on how those choices might affect cost).

Activity Reviews

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

We had the great fortune to have the tour all to ourselves. The lava cave was interesting & our guide was terrific. The cave wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be, though. I suspect there are more fascinating lava caves in Iceland.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

This was a fun experience, although I suspect that there are even nicer nature baths in Iceland -- possibly ones that don't have as strong a smell of sulphur. Personally, I would have preferred the water to be a little hotter, but my companion thought it was plenty hot. I wish they'd had more cocktail options at the swim-up bar and better food there.

Quality of Experience

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

This horseback ride was great -- better than I expected. I learned a lot about Icelandic horses and was thrilled with the opportunity to tolt -- to experience a horse gait that only Icelandic horses do. I'm not an experienced rider and I find trotting uncomfortable, so it was great fun to go faster than a walk (and learn something new). We also got to curry and feed our own horses, which was a nice experience. While the scenery on the ride wasn't spectacular, it was pretty and we particularly enjoyed getting to watch the farm's dog bound around the landscape and chase ducks into the river.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure

Iceland

This is unquestionably a must-do experience. Kayaking is fun in lots of different locales, but kayaking around icebergs was particularly special. I much preferred seeing them -- and the seals -- up close from a kayak than I would have jammed into a large boat with lots of people. The Diamond Beach across the road from the glacial lagoon is also spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Solheimajokull glacier hike

Iceland

This was a fun experience, although, it was definitely more of a walk than a hike. A couple of not very fit participants really held us back & made the walk much slower than it needed to be. If you're an experienced hiker, like my companion and I are, I would recommend that you look at other activities the same tour agency provides, like the longer 4-hour hike. The guides are impressively knowledgeable, though, about the geology of the area and the impact of global warming on the glaciers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved our trip to Iceland. We wanted a lot of flexibility in our travels and KimKim provided what we needed. Othman was great to work with and provided excellent recommendations. He booked us nice hotels and a few tours but also gave us recommended stops along the way of our trip that were great. He was responsive to questions and a pleasure to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Storm Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Hotel and breakfast were great, as was the staff. We would have preferred to stay in the heart of the city but it was walkable if you are up for it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arnarstapi Hotel

Snæfellsbær

Nice clean hotel with good food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Kvika

Sveitarfélagid Ölfus

They hotel is out of the way of the town. The lobby is really nice, as is the staff. The rooms need to be updated but they were clean and comfortable. Appreciated the black out shades!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Great hotel. Very modern and the restaurant was bright with a great breakfast. Staff were nice and helpful when needed, although seemed a bit sparse, playing multiple roles (e.g., front desk and bartender)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

A must see/do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Great guide but only one cave was available at that time of year and it was small. The guide made up for it by hiking around the area and providing expertise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Love this hike. Felt safe and guide was terrific.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a wonderful trip in a beautiful country. The thing I want to thank Othman for is listening to me when I said we wanted to go somewhere beautiful, nature-focused and away from the main tourist attractions. The itinerary he built for us ended up being nearly perfect. The accommodations were also all really good. We wished we could have spent more time in Iceland and will def use KimKim again for another trip to a country we aren't familiar with. Thank you so much for all your help!
Nancy

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Hellnar

Hellnar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Flokalundur

Vesturbyggð

Hotel Isafjordur Torg

Ísafjörður

Hótel Laugar Sælingsdal

Budardalur

Konvin Hotel by Reykjavik Keflavik Airport

Keflavík

Activity Review

Grábók Crater

Iceland

Our trip to Iceland was too amazing for words. I love to plan trips but I knew that for this trip, I’d need assistance from knowledgeable people. Duncan at Kimkim did not disappoint!

We took nine days to drive around the entire island. Our itinerary was customized perfectly for us! The activities and tours we took were all top notch. Having each leg’s driving plan mapped out took the stress off of figuring out directions and distance and helped keep us on a nice pace throughout the trip. Our pre-booked hotels ranged from small, old, and historical to unique and modern. Each place was clean and offered a delicious spread for breakfast each morning.

Picking favorite places and activities is difficult in a country that’s full of such overwhelming beauty. The activity that was the most fun and gave us the biggest laughs was rafting the West Glacial River outside Skagafjörður. Our guides Amy, Scottie, and Cam with Viking were so much fun!!

I personally loved Husavik and the whale watching-mostly because of the special encounter we had. Our boat had a humpback come right up to our boat not once but twice! Our guides were beside themselves with excitement as this type of encounter was rare. The crew on the Salka were very knowledgeable and kind. We were served delicious cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate on the return which made it more special. Highly recommend!

My husband and daughter loved our ATV to the Black Beach and Plane Wreck tour because it was just plain fun riding fast on the black beach, seeing the plane wreck, and driving our ATV across a river all while having beautiful glacier and mountain views!

Our most unique activity was snorkeling the Silfra Fissure and touching two separate continents with our hands! It took a lot of preparation to get our bodies ready to enter 38 degree Fahrenheit water but seeing such crystal clear water at a depth of 150 meters was like none other! Our guide, Sebastien with Dive.IS was kind, patient, and knowledgeable.

And finally, after leaving the best hotel, Hotel Hallormsstadur on Lake Lagarfljot, our most favorite part of our drive of the island was between Egilsstadir to Hofn. It was littered with one beautiful waterfall after another and the mountains were breathtaking!

There wasn’t one part of this trip we would not do and we know that if we return, there’s infinitely more places we could explore without repeat. If you’re thinking about Iceland, think no more. Go and book now!

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Hotel Myvatn

Myvatn

Loved this hotel from the moment I walked in. The decor was warm, welcoming, and sophisticated. The bathroom was so relaxing having both a soaking tub and a shower. Breakfast and dinner in the hotel was among our favorite meals of the trip. A little extra bonus was walking into our room after check-in and seeing sheep grazing right outside our window.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hallormsstadur

Egilsstadir

This hotel was special because of the retro European decor and the magnificent view of Lake Lagarfljot from our bedroom window. Make sure to drive to Vok Nature Bath and experience the best and most scenic geothermal bath we had!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

This was great because of the proximity you get to The glacier, icebergs, and seals. It was a magical and breathtaking scene.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lava Cave Explorer Tour

Iceland

Our tour guide was from England and had a Masters in Geology. She was an enthusiastic teacher and learning all about the types of rock that make up Iceland early in the trip helped improve our understanding of the topography there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

West Glacial River Family Rafting

Iceland

Such a fun experience!!! We laughed the entire trip thanks to Scottie and Cam. We were lucky and had a beautiful day too. We stayed for lunch and so glad we did! They served us fresh lamb and vegetables from a farm next door. It was our favorite meal of the trip! Don’t hesitate to book this family rafting trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

This bath was ok. After seeing the super organized and efficient process at The Blue Lagoon, here it was not as fluid. I had issues with my locker twice and the scenery around the bath was a lot of dirt and construction equipment. Also know that this bath has an extremely strong smell of sulphur. It bothered my teenage daughter and I saw other people at the bath having some issues with the smell. My advice would be to skip this one. There are other much better baths in the country.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husavik Whale Watching

Iceland

We had a great experience watching whales on the Salka. We had two very up close encounters with the whales and saw many more at various distances! Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

My favorite bath. It’s natural water from the lake and has no sulphuric smell. The infinity pools look out into the lake and mountains on the other side. The facility is clean and well organized. Strongly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

A most unique experience! The water is so clear and gorgeous! Dive.IS we’re very friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. We were well dressed to snorkel in 38 degree water. You won’t regret doing this!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emanuela did a fabulous job planning and mapping out our trip. We enjoyed all that Iceland had to offer. Our favorite experiences were outside the cities traveling the countryside and the beauty of the landscapes. and animals. All of our guides on our excursions were excellent and gave very thorough and informative history and scientific explanations on site. The food choices were excellent , Breakfast inclusion was excellent and organic and farm experiences were our favorites
Emanuela helped us with our upgrade on accommodations as we felt Fosshotel Baron was less than standard. I also recommend that Brunnholl is less than standard as well as we ended up moving on down the road and acquiring a better choice for that evening.
Overall we had a mother -daughter trip of a lifetime and I highly recommend KimKim and Emanuela as a travel assistant and consultant .

Activity Reviews

Golden Circle

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Langjokull glacier snowmobiling

Golden Circle

We should have opted for a smaller group as we felt too many travelers.

ATV to the Black Beach and Plane Wreck

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My wife and I travelled with our son and daughter-in-law and their 4 boys, 3 of whom are big, 6 foot teen-agers. Car was a big 9 passenger diesel van and accommodated all of us nicely. My son did all the driving and he plugged in his phone and used google maps to get us from place to place. First day in Reykjavik was to get oriented - drove to a few sites, restaurants, but we were all jet lagged so we really didn't do all that much. Hotel was nice and conveniently located. Next day we did the golden circle and saw all the famous sites - waterfalls, geysirs, icebergs, etc - spectacular scenery. In addition to Micheles input, we took a Rick Steve guide book with us which gave us some great insights on how to best use our time, where to park, etc. On our last day in Reykjavic, we did whale watching with Elding and we saw
plenty of whales and dolphins jumping out of the water - good weather and very calm sea made this really enjoyable. Next day we headed south, did the waterfall you can walk behind, and stayed at the Glacier View Hotel which was just wonderful - our hosts there were so very pleasant and the scenery was wonderful. We drove to the lagoon with icebergs and the black diamond beach - so glad we did this western part of iceland with it's truly spectacular scenery. Finally, did our dip into the Blue Lagoon on our day of departure, which refreshed us for the flight home. Thanks Michele and Preeti for mapping out such a great trip - this was our second trip to Iceland but the first was a short one on a tour that just did the circle. Doing it on our own was so much better and the sites in the western region were amazing. Our son's family had an amazing time and I'm sure will be talking about it for years to come.

I almost never want to travel without using KimKim. Othman was absolutely INCREDIBLE! I told him the region I wanted to travel and the activities we were interested in, and he tailored an already wonderful base itinerary to match exactly what we were looking for. Iceland was magnificent and everything we did went off without a hitch. We didnt have to think about ANYTHING. Reservations were all set up for us, including a car, and the itinerary even had notes for activities if we happened to have extra time. I cannot say enough. PLUS I got engaged on the trip so, even better! We will definitely use KimKim for our honeymoon!

Great experience! I would recommend Kim Kim to all! I liked all the hotels we stayed at . Very clean!

Othman was super helpful, communicative, and planned an amazing trip for my sister and I to Iceland. It was probably the best trip we have gone on and it wouldn’t have been possible without Othman’s help. Our excursions, hotel accommodations, and daily schedule were great and matched our needs appropriately. Can’t recommend Othman enough!

Activity Reviews

Solheimajokull glacier hike & ice climbing

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

Iceland

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

We highly recommend Emanuela. We had a wonderful experience in Iceland. Hotels, itinerary and food recommendations were amazing. Would definitely book with her again.

Andres helped us book an incredible trip. We enjoyed every minute, and it was the perfect combination of activities for adults and children. The accommodations were fantastic and the activities were so much fun. It was wonderful. I will definitely use Kim Kim again!

Sigurdur planned a spectacular Icelandic adventure for my young family. He was very responsive to every question I had during the entire process. Each day was planned perfectly. His hotel selections were exactly what I had asked for. All excursions booked were wonderful and ran smoothly. I could not have asked for more of this trip. Thanks Sigurdur and Kimkim!!

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Lækur

Hella

Quaint countryside hotel. Great for relaxation and gateway to the south coast.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the little cabin we stayed in.

Location

Staff

Extremely friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean!

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Beautiful hotel. Beautiful rooms. Blackout curtains do a great job. Laundry service available which was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything Vik

Staff

Very kind and even provided us space heater to dry out our gloves.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean! Comfortable!

Hotel Örk

Hveragerði

Hotel is under renovation. With that said our room was updated and very nice. Blackout curtains worked great. While their pool looked very dated it was very nice to take a dip at the end of the day. Great location, right across the street from a commercial building with wonderful food options.

Authenticity & Character

It’s difficult to review because it is under construction to update and the updated parts are nice.

Location

Staff

Very nice and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable!

Room With A View Apartment Hotel

Reykjavík

Amazing location and very spacious rooms. Bar next door which was loud into the night. Shower didn’t work and we had already unpacked so we just dealt with it. Location and spaciousness outweighed any issues.

Authenticity & Character

Nice

Location

I’m the center of all touristy things.

Staff

Friendly but sometimes hard to find.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Puffin watching tour at the Ingolfshofdi cape

Iceland

Puffins everywhere! Lots of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour

Iceland

Informative boat tour regarding the glacier lagoon and climate change. Enjoyed it a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

Unique small lagoon. Had an authentic less commercial feel. Really enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Commercial but iconic to Iceland so a must do. Had a great time. Silica face masks were a fun perk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching

Reykjavík

Informative and saw many whales and puffin. Really enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful trip - we really enjoyed our guides and the spots we saw. Andres and Aron were our guides and planned a great day for our group. We had a wonderful time and would recommend them!

Trip of a lifetime! sigurdur was attentive, and made sure an excursion was rescheduled when it was cancelled due to weather, so we could make sure we got in all of our priorities on our trip. The Kimkim team was outstanding from start to finish.

Jenny pointed us to many interesting sights. Our favorite was seeing the magical little puffins up close. All the accommodations were very clean and in peaceful spots. It was a wonderful trip. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Icelandic horse riding tour

Vík

Vik is a beautiful place. The guides were wonderful. We got to see the huge cliffs on the beach with all the birds nesting there. Of course the Icelandic horses are lovely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip
Preethi was so responsive and wonderful. Michele was great.
We cannot wait to go back.
They were able to help us with switching the booking for one activity and making it later immediately. Preethi was ready with suggestions for a rainy day. Overall I highly recommend this entire South coast trip

The entire trip was well planned in an excellent, courteous, collaborative working relationship with Preeti. She sought to meet our desires and wishes for the trip and incorporated them into the itinerary. We accomplished ALL the elements of the itinerary and in addition, a few of the suggested options. We also added a few of our own after reading books about options in touring Iceland. One was the Fridheimar Tomato Farm and Restaurant -geothermal greenhouses for growing tomatoes and other vegetables. Of course all the major waterfalls were amazing and the trip up to Husavik where we had outstanding steamed mussels at Naustid. We arrived for lunch at 2:30pm, they were open, but said the mussels were only on the menu for dinner. When we said we came from the U.S. to have mussels...the chef said. "They're on the way" for lunch, and they were better than the mussels we had in Bruges Belgieum. All interactions with staff in hotels and restaurants were very good. No language problem. Bakkagerdi old harbor was an excellent experience viewing puffins up close and personal along with the puffins tour at Ingolfshofdi arranged by Preeti. Overall the trip exceeded our expectations and KimKim and Preeti did an excellent job planning a trip that takes the hassle out of travel. Blessings to you all!
We offer a suggestion when planning for seniors - consider hotels with elevators or first floor accommodations. We did have help with moving luggage when requested. Overall we are very pleased with the results and will represent KimKim well to others to wish to plan for non-group travel. It was refreshing to stop the car whenever we wanted to check on birds in the lakes, take advantage of a good photo op and watch the buses and vans whiz by. Thank you very much! The only regret is that we now have over 1000 pics to sort out. Smiles and happy memories!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Laugarbakki

Hvammstangi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Berjaya Hotel Herad

Egilsstadir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

All services done well including excellent breakfast offering

Hotel Örk

Hveragerði

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The provide an excellent breakfast

Milk Factory

Höfn

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Minimal breakfast offering

Berjaya Hotel Myvatn

Myvatn

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, Icelandair hotels have excellent breakfasts

Vogur Country Lodge

Deildarey

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Owner was personal and engaging on arrival, at dinner, breakfast and on departure.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel West

Patreksfjörður

Authenticity & Character

very small rooms for accommodating luggage for 2 persons

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Búdir

Búðir

The BEST we experienced - hotel, breakfast, dinner, room...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skuggi Hotel Reykjavík by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Puffin watching tour at the Ingolfshofdi cape

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Personal knowledge of staff and allowing time to take in the awesome experience

Terry planned a fantastic trip for us!

My partner just finished 12 years of medical training,
and this trip was to celebrate his amazing accomplishment. I wanted it to be special.

We went to Iceland for the first time and decided to use KimKim to alleviate some travel stress. Terry created a detailed itinerary, respected our budget, and crafted a well-organized and efficient trip plan that considered our likes and dislikes for activities, hotels, and even restaurants!

Terry's notes on our itinerary, such as suggested places to make dinner reservations, were so helpful. We are both vegetarian, and a few weeks before the trip, Terry sent us a list of vegan/vegetarian restaurants in each location, which was very considerate.

All the details, the communication, and the accommodations were excellent. We are so happy with the trip.

It was a very smooth trip, and because of Terry, we focused on just having fun. No stress. We will definitely use kimkim again!

Amazing trip!
Iceland is a magical place full of kind people, great food, and incredible landscapes. We will come back some day is there is still so much to see and do. Thanks to kimkim for their services.