Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Eric from Kimkim planned a wonderful trip for us in beautiful Iceland! Having traveled many times independently, researching and making our own reservations and itinerary, my husband and I decided it was time to get assistance. It was a relief having a hotel each night where we were welcomed with arrangements already completed, having pleasant accommodations, scenic views, and great breakfasts. Trip plans and directions were provided for each day, including additional suggested activities – more than we could fit in. We proceeded with those we found most appealing and had a great time. Eric was very helpful in setting up the trip. We emailed and had more than a few phone calls with him beforehand, which he arranged with our schedules in mind. He was always pleasant, helpful, and never acted as if we were being annoying. He got back to us almost immediately with the changes we requested. When there was an airline problem and we arrived a day late (which had nothing to do with Eric or Kimkim) the trip was immediately modified appropriately, and Eric provided the documentation needed for the insurance company to get the cost of one day of car rental and hotel reimbursed.

Iceland exceeded all our expectations. Gummi understood our desire to have an adventure-packed family vacation. He packed our days with unforgettable sights, hikes and tours. The google map links were perfect to keep us on track and his recommendations for times at each location kept us on track to ensure we didn't miss anything. The restaurant recommendations were a great mix of Icelandic cuisine and American favorites for the teenagers. Our favorite part was the Katla ice cave tour. We strapped on our crampons and were mesmerized by the blue hues and natural ice formations. We took ATVs on the beautiful black sand beach near the Myrdalsjokull glacier. We rode snowmobiles on the Langjokull glacier. Gummi even ordered up the most spectacular Northern Lights show! It was everything we hoped for.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshótel Reykholt

Reykholt

Excellent modern hotel. We had two rooms to accommodate our two teenage boys.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great duvets!

Stracta Hotel Hella

Hella

A charming hotel. Our rooms required us to walk outside so it felt more like a motel. Our TV wasn't working but the front desk person came immediately and fixed it. We're awaiting resolution on a room discrepancy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A single room is quite tight. It was too small for 4 people.

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

Modern hotel. Our rooms were close by reception which was convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Smyrlabjorg

Hofn

Very quaint and charming. Very spacious room for the 4 of us. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. The wifi wasn't great but we were too busy looking for the northern lights to care. Also there is no elevator so better bring your best viking to lift the bags.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was extremely spacious.

Fosshotel Stykkisholmur

Stykkishólmur

Lovely modern hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Lovely modern hotel in great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The lighting in the room and location of the outlets could be improved. Our room had two small beds vs. a queen bed.

Activity Reviews

Langjokull glacier snowmobiling

Iceland

Very well organized. The staff were extremely friendly. They took our pictures and helped us get back on the trail.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

A relaxing geothermal experience in a modest setting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Our guide Siggi was amazing. He shared his personal experiences and explained the geography and science behind the ice cave and the Katla glacier. You could tell he absolutely loves his job. He sang, joined our family photos and had great energy.

Quality of Experience

The scenery and ice formations are stunning. And the science behind their creation is interesting. It's also very precarious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Siggi was an expert and very funny.

Transport

The transport was fine. The music is fun

ATV to the Black Beach and Plane Wreck

Iceland

The scenery was stunning. Seeing the plane wreck is another interesting part of history. And noting Justin Bieber filmed on it was interesting for the kids.

Quality of Experience

Going over sand, through streams and on the actual road create exciting experiences.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was no transport

Spectacular trip to Iceland! My nephew is spending a semester abroad in Reykjavik, so we decided to visit! Such an easy flight from Boston ! Veronika helped us plan a wonderful itinerary for the three days, four nights we were there. She was quick to respond and make suggestions and we enjoyed everything! Thank you Veronika! We loved the walking tour with Oluf. The views from the top of the church were amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Rok one night and Apotek another. We stayed at Alda hotel (awesome location for walking around the city) and the restaurant (Brass Kitchen) there was also great and convenient for the final dinner before we left. My sister and I spent a few fabulous hours at the Sky Lagoon which I will never forget…topped off by a gorgeous sunset! The Golden Circle tour was simply awesome…The Perlan museum was also a highlight with an incredible 360° observation deck and rotating cafe. Priceless memories with my parents who are in their 80s but still enthusiastic about new experiences. I will return to this amazing country again someday, hopefully with my young adult sons!! So much more to see and do but we were so grateful for all the experiences we had, the lovely people, the phenomenal scenery, the sunny weather!!

Hotel Review

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Awesome location within walking distance to so many shops, restaurants, transportation, etc. Great breakfast and wonderful restaurant, the Brass Kitchen.

Authenticity & Character

Minimalist and modern hotel. I loved the lobby...great gathering space for a group.

Location

So close to everything in reykjavik

Staff

The staff at the front desk was always helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No real closet or dresser to unpack but otherwise great hotel!! We were so busy we never got to enjoy the sauna. Food was lovely!

Activity Reviews

Reykjavik Revealed — Private Walk with a Viking Guide

Reykjavík

Our guide Oluf was awesome! Kind and knowledgeable and personable.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful city. Pretty easy to walk and

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oluf was super personable and knowledgeable

Transport

Taxi to and from the Sky Lagoon

Iceland

On time and friendly

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ultimate Icelandic Night—Northern Lights Hunt, Cozy Blankets & Local Treats in Reykjavik

Reykjavík

We loved the enthusiasm of our guide but unfortunately had a cloudy night and didn't see the Northern Lights

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Even though we didn't see the northern lights our guide was trying so hard to spot them the whole time.

Transport

Comfortable van with cozy blankets!

Perlan Museum - Icelandic Wonders & Northern Lights Show

Reykjavík

Awesome museum. We weren't going to get to a real ice cave so it was great to walk through the one in the museum. The Northern Lights show was also beautiful. Another highlight of this museum was the 360 degree observation deck...absolutely incredible views. The rotating cafe on the top floor was also great views, good food and worth a stop.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful, clean, interesting museum.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone at the museum was lovely and helpful.

Transport

Sky Lagoon - Experience the seven-step Sky Ritual

Iceland

We had a gorgeous day and awesome sunset which made this extra special. A really fun way to spend the afternoon with my sister.

Quality of Experience

Clean, wonderful views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Golden Circle Immersion—Eco-Friendly & Geothermal Wonders

Reykjavík

There was so much to see and do on this tour. I honestly wasn't really looking forward to the tomato farm but it ended up being an awesome experience. Yummy burrata salad and Bloody Mary! The natural wonders of Iceland are many but the Gullfoss waterfalls truly took my breath away! This tour is a must do!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I wished my 83 year old mom had been able to see the falls! We discovered a lower parking lot that I think may have been possible for her to walk to see them but I couldn't find our driver to see if he could drive her down there.

Transport

The Iceland Tour was an amazing trip, aided by the professional and competent KIM KIM team. A special recognition to Francesca, who has helped arrange this trip for over a year. The rental car, the itinerary, the accommodations were all taken care of. I highly recommend self driving as it gives one the freedom to set your own pace and to alter locations as desired. All of the excursions were worth the time and a special shout out to Arctic Adventures and their Super Jeep Aurora Tour. The accommodations were all good and were well located, usually a few miles toward the next day’s journey. A few minor issues during the course of the trip were quickly resolved by KIM KIM team member Preeti. Anyone considering a trip to Iceland should consider utilizing the services of KIM KIM. I feel that my nine day tour of the Golden Ring Road was just right. Every day was planned out with possible options. Excursions included many natural wonders, the animals, the Icelandic Horse, reindeer and whales. The hot spring spas, the ATV ride, the helicopter tour and of course, the Northern Lights.The following information is important to be aware of; food is expensive in Iceland, especially restaurant dinners. Our breakfasts were included with the hotels and for lunch, we saved money by buying sandwiches from the grocery store. Also, after you have arrived and are picking up the rental car, be sure to purchase the auto damage insurance. Windy days and close parking can result in expensive dings. Finally, if Iceland is on your Bucket List, go now! It’s a beautiful country with miles of empty roads and unbelievable wild scenery. But the pressure of uncontrolled tourism is bound to forever change the country and the quality of your adventure. Make reservations and go. Your memories of Iceland will remain long after the cost is forgotten.

Eric was, simply put, AMAZING!! :) It is such a plus to travel to a country and have everything pre-planned, pre-booked and pre-paid. His itinerary was thorough, extremely detailed, and truthfully, we did not get to do all his additional, optional, recommendations... no regrets though as we were FULLY booked the whole time :)

10/10 Eric! Thanks for being amazing at what you do :)

I had a favorable experience booking my Iceland trip with KimKim and my local specialist, Èric. I contacted them just 2 weeks before the trip and was so appreciative of their fast work to schedule and plan a trip that was truly customized to me and my sons. We struck the right balance of low-activity touring along with some exciting adventure activities including hiking and ziplining on a glacier, exploring an ice cave, and snorkeling in the glacial meltwater where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. The documentation contained helpful info, our hotel selections were the right quality level, and when one or two issues came up, Eric and the team were superfast to help resolve them.

We had the trip of a lifetime in Iceland with Rinolda’s amazing planning. Our hotels were conveniently located along our ring road tour. The various tour companies we got to do excursions with (Hesta Sport for horse back riding and North Sailing for Whale Watching ) were phenomenal, we felt very prepared and relaxed on both tours. When a blizzard hit the north/east region of the country, KimKim was able to alter our trip to keep us safe but still enjoy the best of our time in Iceland. We will absolutely be traveling with KimKim again, as well as recommending them to our family and friends for their travel needs.

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Hotel Myvatn

Myvatn

Amazing customer service, great amenities, wonderful restaurant on site.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to many interesting sites and towns

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

The first room we were put in was very small, had a very low/slanted ceiling and a shower so tiny we wouldn’t have fit. After nicely asking to be moved, the next room was better; felt more like a hotel room rather than a guest room in an attic. The onsite parking was outrageously expensive (would have been about $55/per day. Thankfully we were able to park in a garage down the block for a more affordable rate. Still not our favorite stay of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Was hesitant to go to the blue lagoon after reading mixed reviews from other travelers. But I think doing it so early in the morning after our flight was why made it so wonderful. Or was far from crowded and very rejuvenating after a sleepless night on the plane.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse riding experience

Varmahlid

This was my favorite part of the trip! Iv always loved horses; and after learning more about Iceland and their special breed I knew we had to add it to our itinerary. Soooo glad we did. Getting to experience the Tolt was very special. Our guide was amazing, I felt very safe and she took lovely photos of us.

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husavik Whale Watching

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip to Iceland was amazing! Guðmundur Oli, our local specialist was outstanding. He made the entire trip planning process very smooth and was extremely responsive at all times. The tailor-made trip itinerary couldn’t have been better. The trip plan included all the details that one needs for an enjoyable stress free trip. The choice of hotels, rental car etc was perfect. Guðmundur’s alacrity and vast knowledge of Iceland’s attractions was remarkable. Would definitely consider using Kim and Kim for our future vacations.

Great trip, everything was scheduled so well. Will use service again.

This was such a great way to plan a trip to a place I was never been before and for a person without a lot of free time! Our trip guide, Eva, was fantastic in catering the itinerary to our three generations Iceland trip and she was incredibly flexible to adjust our calender both before the trip to suite our needs and during hte trip as our interests pivoted. It was wonderful to take away some of the typical vacation stressors and let Kim Kim make our vacation so much more relaxing!

Our trip to Iceland through KimKim was nothing short of extraordinary, and the credit goes to our exceptional local specialist, Gummi. From the moment we started planning our adventure, Gummi's expertise and enthusiasm shone through.

Gummi's knowledge of Iceland is unparalleled. He crafted an itinerary that perfectly balanced our desire for adventure and experience the entire Island. Every detail, from the breathtaking natural wonders we visited to the accommodations, felt like it was designed just for us.

What truly sets Gummi apart is his dedication to making our journey memorable. He went above and beyond to ensure we had an unforgettable experience, even accommodating our last-minute requests with a smile. Gummi's friendly demeanor and willingness to share insights into Icelandic culture added a layer of authenticity to our trip.

Iceland's beauty left us speechless, but Gummi's guidance and care made the trip more magical than we could have ever imagined. If you're planning a trip to Iceland, I wholeheartedly recommend Gummi and KimKim. Five stars simply don't do justice to the remarkable adventure they provide. We can't thank Gummi enough for providing a seemless and unique experience for our 25th wedding anniversary.

The trip to Iceland was everything we hoped it would be. We worked with our local specialist, Rinolda, to create an unique and action-packed adventure and we never even left the southern portion of the country! We combined classic must-sees with locations that were a bit harder to access (Thorsmork) and the remote apartments at Kirkjubaerklaustur as a great base (where we happily had a view of the northern lights). Absolutely everyone was welcoming to us and so helpful. We found amazing local vegetarian/vegan food - sometimes in the most unlikely spots. We've been back home in the US a few weeks, but the beautiful scenery keeps floating through our minds (as well as images of so many round sheep!). We can't thank Rinolda enough for answering a million questions and working to assure that our itinerary was seamless. Thank you, Rinolda!

Hotel Review

Midgard Base Camp

Hvolsvöllur

Just perfect for us. Adequate and comfortable bedroom and bathroom. And the restaurant was incredible with outstanding vegan/vegetarian options. The staff were very friendly and helpful and made us feel so welcome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Husafell Canyon Baths

Iceland

We had a wonderful guide to take us to this very private and rugged location sandwiched between lava walls. It was rainy and misty so popping into the warm pools was an incredible experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Having a chance to be so close to the glacier and the icebergs was truly incredible - it gives a new perspective. The colors and magnificence were breathtaking. Our guide was great and offered wonderful information and happily answered our many questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Iceland has been my longtime dream thanks to SigurRos. And kimkim made it happen❤️ !
Rinolda helped us plan each day catering to our needs of wanting to experience natural beauty, relaxation & keeping our 3yr old entertained🤘🏼.
She picked great locations with not too strenuous hikes, beautiful guest houses (we got lucky to experienced Aurora 🌌 at Dimmuburgir) all locations had great vegetation friendly good options-score🤩
Even during the trip , when there was unexpected extreme weather warning she let us know . gave us a heads up on guesthouses that didn’t have breakfast for us to plan ahead for our 3yr old.
Will definitely plan to revisit beautiful Iceland but before that will come back to KimKim for our next family trip.
Takk fyrir ❤️!! #corememoriescreated🥰

Iceland is a magical place, and Halldór helped us experience it in a wonderful way.

The trip was spectacular and would only have been better if the weather had cooperated. We did almost all the activities including the optional ones that Jenny included in our trip plan and had a lot of fun. The accommodations were very good and typically nicer than expected with clean rooms and friendly staff. We especially enjoyed the Glacier Hike and the Glacier Lagoon zodiac ride. Plan to take advantage of the many hot spring spas throughout Iceland. We really liked the GeoSea spa but also some of the smaller ones like the Secret Lagoon were also nice. Be prepared for driving in the Westfjords, the roads can sometimes be harrowing. If we changed anything about the trip it would be to trim some of the optional items as doing almost all of them we ended up driving over 2000 miles. In addition to the Iceland weather and road conditions sites I would highly recommend downloading the Parka.Is app to make paying parking fees easier. We hardly used any cash as virtually everywhere took our Visa with tap-n-go convenience. You MUST also have a debit or other card that has a PIN code for buying gasoline as most stations are automated and won’t take credit cards. The KimKim team was awesome and very responsive to changes we needed to make on the fly. Our trip advisor Jenny was incredible and put together an amazing Iceland experience for us that included all the things we were interested in.

Some tips we learned: be prepared for changeable weather and wind and have lots of layers that you can mix and match. We were there in late September and my typical apparel was long underwear, long sleeve T-shirt, medium to heavy weight hiking pants. long sleeve shirt, fiberfill shell jacket and a knit cap. If there was rain or high winds I’d add a rain shell and zip-on pants rain proof pants. Good waterproof hiking shoes, gloves and a scarf or neck warmer are important also.

Lastly, our rental car came with a plug in WiFi access point with an internal battery. It had unlimited data so we used it in the car, in our room at night ( often better than the hotel WiFi) and even walking around with it in a pocket. As long as it could connect to the cell service It allowed us full internet access, WiFi calling, texts, etc. without using our own cellular data. I highly recommend this add on. Cell service is pretty good even in relatively remote areas but wifi can be very spotty.

Activity Reviews

Glacier Hike

Iceland

Grab your crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe and go glacier stomping.!! Very fun and educational and a bit strenuous. A must do in Iceland!

Quality of Experience

Such a unique experience to actually walk on the glacier ice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge and helpfulness on the ice

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

The glaciers floating in the lagoon were spectacular! Especially some that had recently flipped to expose the deep blue ice that hadn’t been exposed to the air. Large stable zodiac with a great skipper took us right among the ice.

Quality of Experience

Seeing the ice bergs up close was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, helpful and safety conscious

Transport

GeoSea Geothermal Baths

Iceland

You haven’t had a real hot springs experience until you try salt water. It’s an incredible feeling on your skin. The walk up bar at the far pool was very convenient 😁

Quality of Experience

We had been thinking about a trip to Iceland for a very long time but didn't really know how to start planning. Eric made that part easy and fun. He was very thorough and communicated well throughout the process. We had a mixture of planned excursions and independent exploring, which suited us perfectly. All of the booked adventures were a lot of fun and we lucked out in that we actually got to see whales, seals, and the Aurora Borealis! The suggestion to rent a car and go out on our own was an excellent one. Driving is easy and there is much to be seen along the main roads of Iceland. We were mesmerized by the otherworldliness of the land and the sky -- the colors, waterfalls, glaciers, and lava beds. We took many pictures from the car and stopped in tiny towns to explore and hike. The people were friendly and fun; they seemed to want to make our adventure even better. This trip was everything we had hoped for and more; I highly recommend Eric as a "tour guide in chief" for Iceland.

We were very happy with the Kim Kim service.
Elisa was our travel consultant for Iceland and she put together an excellent itinerary. She handled the bookings for our lodging and was quite flexible when we requested some changes. She also booked a number of excursions and we had very few glitches during our travels. She responded very promptly regarding the few small items that came up.
I loved that her trip itinerary included not only the specific places we'd booked but a long list of suggested places we could visit on our way plus a nice selection of restaurants some of which she had been to and offered her personal opinions.
With her suggestions there were more choices than time to do them all. (Maybe we need to come back again!)
We loved the Trollaskagi tour with Reynir. It was just the two of us and the driver. And he was full of stories about life in Iceland such as when we visited the Herring Era museum and he talked about when he worked on a Herring ship when he was younger. He also had suggestions for when to see some of the other sights on our list (and how to avoid the cruise ship tour bus crowds).
The super jeep tour with Helga was great too. And she too gave us wonderful insight to living life in Iceland. We had one other couple with us. This was so much better than those huge bus tours!
And of course you can't skip the glacier hike and ice caves which also add to what makes Iceland unique!

Guðmundur Óli nailed it!! Our family car trip to Iceland couldn't have been better! 100% fewer arguments and headaches because we followed his wonderful itineray. He did a fantastic job curating our trip to our interests and tastes!

Some friends recommended KimKim to us after their amazing trip to Iceland. We contacted Eric and discussed our dream trip and he made it happen. From ice climbing to a perfectly planned agenda, Eric did an amazing job. He spent a lot of time ensuring every detail was perfect from hotels to restaurant recommendations and driving details. We absolutely would use KimKim and recommend Eric to anyone who has Iceland on their bucket list.

Gummis knowledge and responsiveness are top notch! Provided us with a custom experience that captured the experience and wonder of iceland!