Kimkim Trip Reviews for Jordan

This trip and the organizing lived up to expectations. Amanda was in touch on a daily basis to ensure that all was in order and or to make last minute changes/additions to the itinerary to ensure that we derived the maximum enjoyment from our holiday experience. The other very special touch was Akrem (our personal driver) who drove us for the entire journey. His stories and attention to the littlest detail was extra special and he really made the experience all the more enjoyable.....wonderful company and now a friend. The only suggestions I would offer is to be crystal clear of your preference for accommodations. Amanda is not a mind reader so be very clear if you want or need upgrades. It’s better to pay a little extra for these comforts rather than need to make the change mid trip. Also the dinner with a “Jordanian family” was quite an experience. This should have been explained a bit better as we thought we were going to a sit down dinner as we would come to know it....actually this was the home of a Bedouin family, sitting on rugs, eating with hands etc. Niah our host was wonderful, but my wife almost wore a dress to dinner which would have been quite uncomfortable. Given that the custom is for the men (and Western guests) to eat in one room while the women and children in another. Nonetheless this was genuinely a great experience and shouldn’t be missed.
We had limited time (8days) and wanted to see as much of Jordan as we could. The Itinerary was quite comprehensive ensuring we hit all the high spots but also allowed plenty of beach downtime as well. NOTE: you’ll appreciate a pool because it can get very hot!. The highlight though was our “Lawrence of Arabia” experience in the Wadi Rum.....absolutely breathtaking and stunning.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this Kim KimTours and look forward to our return.
Shukraan jazilaan!!

We had a great Driver in Jordan who was quite knowledgable and personable. Our tour guide for Bethlehem was amazing and provided with the knowledge and experience we were hoping for on our trip.

We enjoyed our time with Hassan he was very knowledgeable and attended to our needs, Hassan's english was very good as well.
The lost city of Petra was amazing definitely worth seeing...Jerash was really neat and lunch was incredible.

James Miller

Lena was great to work with, providing guidance to meet our needs in terms of timing and sights.

Jordan:
Akram Halabi is a fantastic driver/guide. We were so fortunate to have his advice, descriptions of sights, and recommendations. Highly recommend Akram!

We found the day at Jerash and Um Qais to be long and tiring, with the focus being solely on ancient ruins. The lunch spot, Green Valley, which Akfram recommended was the highlight of the day.

The La Locanda Hotel is quite nice, but some rooms have limited electrical outlets for guests' use.

Visiting Madaba, Mt. Nebo, and the Dead Sea was fascinating and fun. The Dead Sea Spa Hotel was a bit "worn around the edges," in need of updating. The dinner and breakfast buffets are clearly focused on large tour groups, and we found the food to be largely inedible, devoid of flavor and quality. Brad got very sick the day we left, from eating improperly washed fruit for breakfast at the Dead Sea Spa Hotel, which had a vastly negative effect on his enjoyment of the first day at Petra.

Petra is, of course, the crown jewel of Jordan. The hotel, The Petra Guesthouse, is lovely and has a great location right next to the entrance of the Petra Archaeological Park. The included breakfast at the Petra Guesthouse was excellent.

I would suggest asking clients whether or not they want to have a family visit in Petra. We were exhausted from having spent the day visiting the sights in the archaeological park, so we would have preferred to just stay at the hotel. Since Brad was very sick, he did not attend the family dinner. I was not provided with any contact information for the driver in Petra to go to the family dinner; and, since "outside" drivers are not permitted in the security gate to the hotel, I had to search around for a driver. The driver and the father of the host family did not have any signs that indicated that they worked with In2Jordan, so I was a bit leary about getting into a car with two total strangers and heading off onto local roads to a nearby village. Everything worked out OK, but the family visit was quite awkward in that only the father of the family spoke English, and he seemed more interested in smoking cigarettes incessantly than in engaging with me or his family. I reeked with smoke by the time I got home, so I had to shower and hand-wash my clothes. Frankly, it seemed that he wanted to get the family meal obligation over with as soon as possible, and I was OK with that approach since I was not enjoying myself at all.

The back tour of Petra to the Monastery was excellent, and the guide (Tariq?) was quite good.

We then went to the Memoriet Aicha Luxury Camp in Wadi Rum. Do not book guests into the "Panorama" rooms, which are miserably hot, to the point that Rich almost passed out. In addition, the plastic domes are worn and torn, with the clear panels for the panoramic view clouded and cracked to the point that you couldn't really see out of them. The front desk manager had told us before we went to the room that the air-conditioning wasn't working very well, and that we would be upgraded for free if we found the rooms too hot. Fortunately, we were able to move to another tent. The camel tour was quite fun.

The jeep ride the next day was very interesting, but lasted 2.5 hours instead of 3 hours because the driver said he had to get to other guests.

By the time we got to Aqaba, we were exhausted and had little interest in going snorkeling or other beach activities, so the time at Aqaba became a day of rest for us. For being a seaside town, Aqaba did not have many decent restaurants that focused on fish or seafood. The La Costa hotel was quite good, except that there were no chairs (including no desk chair) in the room.

Israel:

Our Israeli driver, George, explained that he was not a guide, but only a driver, so he didn't even explain the basis importance of sights on the first day, e.g., Masada and Qum Ran. We would have skipped both those sights since the signage at both places was limited and lacked any real information about the historical significance of the location. Both seemed more focused on shepherding tourists towards their gift shops and restaurants than on the archaeological and historical significance of the sights. Both sights are overrun by tour buses. We then traveled to Jerusalem to stay at the Gloria Hotel, which is in a great location with comfortable beds and good bathrooms/showers. No bottled water is provided by the hotel (unlike every other hotel we stayed in), and the wifi service is very weak and spotty. Since the Gloria Hotel is focused on tour groups, the meals are buffet-style with OK, but not great, food.

There was some mix-up on which day we were to have a private guide for Bethlehem, but once that issue got sorted out, we were SO fortunate that Khadra Zreineh was our guide. She is magnificent! She's knowledgeable about the historical and religious significance of the various sights; she's excellent at knowing how to navigate sights to avoid standing in long lines; she explained the Palestine/Israel political issues clearly; plus, she's friendly, professional, and intelligent. We enjoyed her so much that we engaged her for another day to guide us in Jerusalem. We recommend that you strongly suggest that future guests hire a guide for both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. And, if you can book her services, we suggest that you always engage Khadra as a guide. By the end of the two days, we were referring to Khadra as our Palestinian sister!

We liked having a free day in Jerusalem to get outside the Old City walls.

We liked the Dizengoff Avenue Hotel, which is in a great location (15-minute walk to the beach; 2-minute walk to dozens of restaurants). The rooms are large (except for tiny bathrooms), with two stools at the desk area, which we appreciated. The KimKim/In2Jordan itinerary indicated that breakfast was included, but the hotel had no records or vouchers for us, so we paid independently for our breakfast. If your clients are "foodies," we recommend that they book a table - or better yet, a seat at the bar overlooking the open kitchen - at Claro. While it is not cheap, it is a top-notch, world-class restaurant, worthy of an evening out.

All-in-all, we were very pleased with the KimKim/In2Jordan trip. With a few minor tweaks (eliminating spending the first day visiting only ruins; reserving tent rooms - and not space bubbles - at the Bedouin camp; and eliminating the home dinner with locals in Petra), it would have been a fantastic trip.

Jordans 5 days and 4 nights.
Thanks for the organization. We liked Jordan very much. Hotels very good, the driver Haitham perfectly english speaking and actively explaining jordan traditions and routes.
To your future guests We suggest: even in very short tours, take at least 2 hours In Dead sea hotel before leaving for south tour (Petra and WadiRum) for unforgettable time floating in the dead sea. In Petra, try to visit Petra entering from back with a guide: a one way walk was much appreciated by our group.
This is a great trip and we thank all of your group for the great support. Paolo

Jordan May 8- May 13, 2019
Lena Sluga, our travel specialist for Visit Jordan. She is the best! She made perfect itinerary for 6 nights & cover almost every place. We visited Amman, Jerash, Madaba, Mt, Nebo, little Petra, Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea. She is so prompt & particular to answer our questions. We changed our itinerary so many times, but she is always helpful and so cool to us.
And our trip make more memorable our Driver Waleed Al Sabbah and guide Nasser Abu-Rezeq. Waleed was so calm and helpful to us and taking care of all small things. And guide Nasser full of knowledge of Jordan and World. We really enjoyed.
Thanks Lena, Waleed and Nasser to make our trip to Jordan memorable 👍👍👍

Overall, we were really pleased with our trip to Jordan. The itinerary suggested by Carmen took into account our interests, while also connecting us with some experiences we wouldn't have thought of on our own.

We really enjoyed meeting Nile, who was our hiking guide in Petra, and enjoyed the iftar with his family. Petra was, of course, a highlight of the trip, but Wadi Rum was also amazing, and floating in the Dead Sea was an incredible experience!

Things that could have been improved: We had a number of different drivers, which was sometimes a bit confusing. The hotels were just okay.

Fantastic experience! Petra, Jarash, WadiRum, Dead Sea, Madaba and rides along all places and King's Hwy are unforgettable. My driver Haytham was the best I could get, by sharing his own stories he presented Jordan in very friendly and attractive way. Highly recommended trip.

Amazing experience in Jordan.
SAFE, friendly and clean.
Lena from KimKim did amazing job for us. Very helpful and professional at all times.
Five stars to Lena. Lena you created amazing Jordan memories for us.

Driver Walid was very friendly, accommodating and safe driver. He had even demeanor at ALL times. Spoke very little but did a lot. Treated all of us with respect.
Five stars and kudos.

Guide Nassar was also friendly and very knowledgeable, responsible and helpful throughout the trip. Five stars.

8 Day Trip to Jordan

When you hear about Jordanian hospitality, take it to heart. Amanda Qardan with In2Jordan went above and beyond our expectations. She not only ensured we were well-taken care of throughout our stay in Jordan, but even after we left the country! It was nice to hear from her throughout the week – but we were completely blown away that she had arranged to have us looked-after during our 12 hour flight back home. This is world-class service and hospitality!

I’m glad we decided to use KimKim. Amanda allowed us to fully customize our last-minute, 8 Day Trip to Jordan. You can tailor your experience to what’s important for you. And she took our budget seriously, even when hotel availability became a challenge. While there were a few hiccups – mostly because it was peak travel season – our overall experience in Jordan was once in a lifetime!

When we arrived in Jordan, we were connected with Akram, our personal driver. He was very professional and accommodating. He offered us a personalized experience visiting various sites that we wouldn’t have gotten by renting a car and booking the trip on our own. Akram offered interesting commentary and his experience showed as he took us around his country. We enjoyed our time with him!

There’s almost too much to cover in this review, so let’s start with the food. We asked Akram to make a special trip to Habibah Sweets to indulge in Kanafeh while in Jordan. Simply bliss. Akram also made sure we had our fill of Turkish coffee throughout the week. As far as other food highlights, both the Maqluba AND the Mansaf are must-haves! After a grueling but awe-inspiring day in Petra, a local family hosted us for home-made Maqluba. Words cannot describe it! And Akram also took us to a local restaurant known for Mansaf. Incredible in its own right. When you visit Jordan you must eat both dishes, you won’t regret it.

If you can afford to upgrade your Petra experience, I highly recommend the Marriott. It’s perched above Wadi Mousa and offers a great sunset view of the Petra site.

A 4x4 Jeep tour in Wadi Rum is a must! Personally, I wish we could have had an extra day to see more of Wadi Rum. We also would have liked another day to explore the city of Amman. We stayed near Paris Square which was amazing, but just wish we had more time. You may need to consider your priorities, seeing archeological sites, (Jerash, Petra, or Citadel) natural wonders, (Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, or Petra) or local and city life. We were able to do it all.

Visit Jordan, you won’t be disappointed!

I cannot recommend too highly the services of Lena and Into2Jordan. My husband and I spent two weeks in Jordan and as part of that holiday, enjoyed a custom-made 8 day itinerary based around the "10 Days in Jordan" suggested itinerary on kimkim. From the very first contact, Lena was so responsive, taking on board the sort of trip we were after and organising the whole thing for us, making sure to get it just right. The all-inclusive price was good value and included our accommodation, all breakfasts, some dinners, drivers, hikes with guides, and "extras" such as dinner with a local family in Petra and a jeep tour of Wadi Rum. Together with our Jordan Pass, it meant that we had pretty much everything pre-paid, which made for a really easy and stress-free holiday.

The trip itself went like clockwork and was well-paced, so that we never felt rushed. The drivers were all excellent and always on time, with a special mention for Haytham who went out of his way to help us understand Jordan and make sure we enjoyed our time in his country. Due to very unseasonal weather conditions, we were unable to do one of the hikes on the itinerary, and a refund was arranged and delivered to our hotel before we left Amman. This is the sort of customer service that really stands out.

Once we arrived in Jordan, Lena was contactable via What's App and she always got back to us as quickly as she could. A couple of items of feedback were dealt with appropriately and professionally.

We did a round trip from Amman visiting Jerash, Ajloun Castle, Mt Nebo, Madaba, Karak Castle, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Dana, the Dead Sea and Bethany-beyond-Jordan. The two days spent at Petra were amazing, but exhausting, so finishing our trip at the Dead Sea was brilliant. It was by far the best hotel we stayed in and a very relaxing end to our wonderful holiday!

Thanks so much Lena for all your hard work over the last six months to organise such a truly memorable trip - it was fantastic!

The whole trip was a mixed bag for me - and I will try and balance my feedback.
Planning - Amanda was very good and responsive giving me with multiple options. At most times she was able to understand me and tweak the plans to suit me. She would check on me from a time to time basis, ensuring things were on track which really made me feel looked after. The only part of miscommunication was that I assumed the individual guides were included which I realized after I reach there it wasn't.
Hotels (Amman, Petra and Dead Sea) - Petra and Dead sea the hotels were brilliant - the biggest advantage being right next to the sites. They were comfortable and provided more than what could need from a hotel, especially the Dead Sea Spa Resort (DSSR). DSSR had a sprawling site, multiple pools, easy access to the sea, great restaurant (and buffet) and a couple of good bars.
Camp (Wadi Rum)- surely one of the highlights of the trip. Khaled was a great host and ensured we were engaged. It was one of the best evenings of the trip - great views of the sunset, amazing slow cooked food!!
Driver/Car - probably the weakest spot - especially because he missed coming to pick me up from the hotel to airport on the way back. (to be fair- it was the first day of Ramadan and he may have had a poor sleep). My driver was chatty otherwise and would ensure that he was taking me to show things around as a local which a tourist may otherwise miss.
Price- Good value for money but if its more than traveler its much more price-efficient.
Arun

We had wonderful time on our 5 day trip in Jordan. Arranged through KimKim and wonderfully organised by Lena from In2Jordan travel in Amman. Our driver Izhaq(Issac) was more than just a driver, he was helpful with travelling suggestions and information and an enjoyable companion. Jeshra, Roman city was surprising in size and number of buildings and structures standing. Including two theatres and a hippodrome! The Mosaic hotel in Madaba was excellent, had great fun at the Dead Sea and Spa Hotel. Petra was almost booked out, so our hotel (Candles) was a much lower quality, but convenient. Petra is a once in a lifetime place to see. Wadi Rum and our night at Khaled’s camp was magnificent. The camp accommodation was so good and the next morning we were awed by the desert scenery during our 3 hour 4 wheel drive into “Lawrence of Arabia” country. Finishing in the heart of Amman at the Art Hotel we were very happy with our tour of Jordan.

Amazing trip to Jordan people we lovely and Petra did not disappoint

Wonderful experience, Tamara and Mohammad pampered us with a perfect professional service, everything running smoothly and even more.
The guides were very professional, careful and deeply in love with their country, which makes the real difference between a good service and a wondefrul experience.

Visited Jordan for 8 days with my mom & a friend. LENA was our coordinator. She was very patient with my requests, offered suggestions and was very communicative.The arrangements for our hotels were outstanding, all in the heart of town, allowing us to roam freely.Our driver was Safwat for majority of the trip.He was kind, helpful and very safe in his driving. We had a fantastic time with no stress.Thank you Lena for the superb arrangements.

One of my most increíble experiences ever! This truly was a bucket list trip and everything went perfectly, I enjoyed every second of the trip. Jawad, my guide, was perfect, knowledgeable, engaging, just all around great fun! My Bedouin guide made the most fabulous tea every day he was with us, and our cook for the evenings when were were camping made the most amazing dinners and fabulous breakfasts the next morning. Everywhere we stayed was unique and special and I enjoyed the special charactaristics of each place. The Lodge in Dana had the most amazing views from the room, Feynan ran by candle light and was beautiful, camping in the desert was so much fun, the Bedouin camps were an absolute treasure and a wonderful experience. While hiking (one of my upmost favorite activities) we got to see many birds, a blue lizard, herds of goats and sheep and camels and meet just the nicest people who asked us to stop for tea. What a welcoming and beautiful country Jordan is. Petra was breathtaking, and I truly appreciated Jawad's vast knowledge of the área, the people and the history. I got to go on my first ever camel ride in Wadi Rum, an experience I will never forget! The desert of Wadi Rum is truly beautiful - we even got to see some rock climbers! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the most amazing, unforgetable trip. This was truly the best!

Overall, the trip was great despite a few major hiccups in communication among the agency and the driver. There was a bit of a discrepancy in terms of what we would consider 5-star hotels and what Jordan considers 5-star, as we got got a few noisy, hot rooms without some of the amenities. We were told there would be no problems going to Israel for the day during our time, but it was actually a very big problem and we spend most of the day stressed and in immigration because of mistakes in paper work that Why Jordan didn’t seem to be familiar with. I would also recommend skipping the dinner inclusion option, as they were all buffets of cold/mediocre food even in the 5-stars. The country, guides and driver, and the overall itinerary was great! I would do it again. Just don’t expect ALL you pay for and expect to contact the agency with concerns on your trip.

Our trip to Jordan was very good, our Driver- Khaled was very friendly and helpful. Petra was amazing, and the Dead Sea was a good experience. Overall Wadi Rum was our favourite, everything was great at the Bedouin Camp and the Jeep Safari was fun.

Our trip to Jordan was very well organized by Tamara and Mohammad from Why Jordan operations. To top it all off our tour guide Mohammed Ali made this whole trip a memorable one. We were with our 2 yr old daughter and initially worried how it will be but he made everything very comfortable and catered to our needs. He made us feel at home and shared his vast knowledge about Jordan and his immense experience. Mohammed Ali went extra mile to give us the authentic experience of Jordan and honored us with traditional meal Mansaf at his home. Also, when we informed him that my wife was pregnant he coordinated with "Why Jordan's Tamara" to adjust the tour for her safety (eg. jeep ride in Wadi Rum). He made good recommendations for hygienic food. One thing we really liked was that our itinerary was customized to our needs on the fly. We have been to lot of countries and if there is one country that impressed us the most with their hospitality and friendliness, it would be Jordan especially Mohammed Ali. When we come back again we will definitely choose Why Jordan (Mohammad Ali and Tamara) in a heartbeat.